Diehard fan places $46K bet against Eagles, cashes in after playoff loss
Philadelphia, PA – A diehard Eagles fan from South Jersey found a creative way to hedge his emotional investment in his favorite team’s playoff chances this past weekend – he bet against them.
31-year old local resident Bard West placed a $46,000 wager on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cover the 7.5 point spread against the Eagles in their NFL Wild Card playoff matchup last Sunday. The bet paid off handsomely when the Bucs dominated their way to a 31-14 win.
“As soon as I saw that opening spread, I just knew deep down it was over for the Birds this year,” said West. “I still cheered my face off for them, but I just had to put some money on Tampa.”
Key Details of West’s Historic Bet
| Amount Wagered | $46,000 |
|---|---|
| Bet Placement | FanDuel Sportsbook at Bally’s Atlantic City |
| Wager | Buccaneers -7.5 spread |
| Payout Odds | -110 |
| Potential Payout | $42,727 |
| Actual Payout | $46,000 |
West placed the bet in person on Saturday at the FanDuel Sportsbook inside Bally’s Atlantic City casino after making the two and a half hour drive from his home. He got the Buccaneers covering the spread at -110 odds, meaning he would profit almost $43K if Tampa Bay won by 8 points or more.
“I thought seriously about making it 200 grand,” laughed West. “I’m glad I didn’t get too crazy with it.”
Buccaneers Roll Behind Four Brady TD Passes
It turns out West’s gut instinct was right on the money. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady turned in a vintage playoff performance, tossing four touchdown passes to lead the Buccaneers to a decisive 31-14 road victory over the Eagles.
45-year old Brady showed no signs of slowing down, surgically carving up Philadelphia’s secondary with his precision passing. He finished 29 of 37 for 271 yards and had TD strikes to tight ends Cameron Brate and Cade Otton along with receivers Mike Evans and Julio Jones. Brady improved his astounding NFL playoff record to 35-12.
Meanwhile on the other side, first year Eagles starter Jalen Hurts struggled mightily. The dual threat QB was held to just 206 passing yards on 23 attempts with 1 TD and 2 interceptions. Hurts was also limited to just 39 rushing yards after terrorizing teams with his running ability for most of the season.
The game was essentially over by halftime. Tampa Bay headed to the locker room with a commanding 28-14 advantage and the Eagles were scoreless in the second half. The final 31-14 score meant West’s sizable wager was a guaranteed winner.
Bittersweet Moment for Devoted Birds Fan
West said collecting nearly $50K for betting against his beloved Birds brought on mixed emotions.
“Part of me died inside when I realized how much cash I had just won thanks to my own team choking,” said West with a pained chuckle. “Don’t get me wrong – I went absolutely crazy cheering for the Eagles. But things definitely got weird when I was jumping up and down after Brady threw that last touchdown.”
The lifelong Eagles diehard said a part of his sports fan soul feels corrupted.
“All my friends are giving me hell for it,” West said. “But 50 grand is 50 grand – it takes a lot of the sting out for me. Maybe next year I take this winning strategy to the craps tables, who knows.”
One friend who claims to understand West’s internal conflict is 43-year old Bill Simmons of Philadelphia. While he didn’t place money on it, Simmons live-tweeted that he hoped the Eagles would lose in embarrassing fashion to force major offseason changes to the coaching staff and roster after what he deemed an underachieving season.
“Look I’m the biggest Eagles fan in the world, but it was obvious we didn’t have a real shot this year,” explained a defiant Simmons. “Changes needed to happen. So I’m glad Lurie and the front office got the message.”
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has not issued any public statements since his team’s playoff dismissal on Sunday. Head coach Nick Sirianni is still scheduled to have his season-ending press conference on Tuesday. It is expected he will face tough questions about his game strategy against the Buccaneers, along with inquiries on how he expects the Eagles to take the next step in 2024.
What’s Next for the Eagles
The immediate future involves recapping the 2023 campaign and making decisions on roster changes needed to contend again in 2024. Several Eagles are set to become free agents, most notably cornerback James Bradberry, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, edge rusher Brandon Graham, and key special teams contributor K’Von Wallace. And the team must decide if they want to commit financially long-term to incumbent starting QB Jalen Hurts, who will be entering his fourth and likely final rookie contract year.
Serious contenders like the Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Buffalo Bills appear to have closed the talent gap Philadelphia enjoyed the previous season on their way to Super Bowl 57. To rejoin the NFC elite in 2024 and make another championship run, the front office led by GM Howie Roseman must have another stellar offseason adding playmakers to the roster through all available avenues.
The 2023 campaign can still be considered a success by most measures – the Eagles won 14 games for just the fourth time in franchise history. But bitter disappointment looms from their lopsided early playoff exit, leaving diehards like West hungry for the team’s first ever Super Bowl victory. Whether he decides to bet for or against them remains to be seen.
“Hey, all I can really do is keep cheering them on and trust Howie to go get the guys we need,” West said. “At the end of the day, I bleed green no matter what.”
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