UConn wasn’t the only big winner Monday night, as Barstool boss Dave Portnoy took home $2.76 million from the Huskies’ loss to Purdue in the national championship.
After the game, which UConn won 75-60, Portnoy shared a bet he had placed before the start of the actual tournament on March 20 – when he laid down $600,000 at +360 odds on the Huskies emerging as champions to repeat.
And UConn did just that after defeating six tournament opponents by an average margin of victory of 23.3 points.
‘The biggest bet of my life. Thank you #uconn,” Portnoy said.
‘Destroyed everyone and everything in their path. They would win the tournament 100 times out of 100. By far the greatest victory of my life.’
UConn was crowned back-to-back NCAA champions after defeating Purdue on Monday night
And Barstool founder Dave Portnoy made a lot of money from the team’s victory in Phoenix
He called his $600,000 bet to win $2.76 million “the biggest bet of my life” on
Connecticut was in fact the pre-tournament favorites to claim the title, while Houston was second favorite at +550 and Purdue was third favorite at 700.
The Boilermakers got a ridiculous 37 points and 10 rebounds from National Player of the Year Zach Edey, but that wasn’t enough as UConn became its first consecutive champions in 17 years.
“For the last 25, 30 years, UConn has led college basketball,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said afterward.
The Huskies were paced by a balanced scoring attack as Tristen Newton (20 points), Cam Spencer (11), Stephon Castle (15) and Donovan Clingan (11) also scored in double figures.
After the match, a ‘limited’ amount of vandalism took place on the school’s campus in Storrs, with five arrests made.
“Overall, it was a very good evening on the Storrs campus and the university looks forward to continuing to celebrate our phenomenal student-athletes, their coaches and this incredible victory,” UConn officials said.