Bettor Wins $150K on Justify Futures Bet
Saturday was a great day for gamblers. Between the Kentucky Derby and NBA and NHL playoffs, plenty of money was spent to predict champions.
But no bettor had as good of a day as this Las Vegas gambler. This bettor placed a $500 futures bet on Justify to win the Derby at 300-1 odds, ending up with a payout of $150,000. The most surprising thing? He placed the bet in February.
"I got a call from a guy I know, a very respected horseman," Johnny Avello, executive director of Wynn Las Vegas' race and sportsbook, said on Friday's VSiN radio broadcast. He says to me, 'Johnny, I got a horse I want to bet in the future book.' I said, 'I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll give you 250-1.'
"He says, 'Come on, Johnny.' I said, 'I'll give you 300-1.' Now he's sitting 300-1 on Justify at a big number."
Even though Justify entered the race as the favorite, he was one of two horses in the Derby that didn't start racing at age 2 and no such horse since Apollo in 1882 has won the 1.25 mile race.
Well, now the curse is broken, and at least one man is happy about it.
