Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Man will win over $21,000 if Auburn bet comes through

A confident Auburn fan who placed a bet on the Tigers to win the College Football Playoff National Championship the morning of the Arkansas game could be in line for a big payday.

Chris Hefner, an Auburn alum, wagered $250.91 on the Tigers at 85-to-1 on the morning of Oct. 21 at the The Venetian race and sports book in Las Vegas. If No. 4 Auburn (10-2, 7-1 SEC) wins the CFP national title, Hefner's bet will pay out $21,578.26.

He felt Auburn had both value and "structure" to go on a run to close the season.

"Value is great," Hefner said, "but there must be a structure in place to go along with the value."

Hefner, whose bet was first reported by RJ Bell, was in attendance for the Georgia and Alabama games and has tickets for Saturday's SEC Championship Game. He said a sports betting exchange valued his bet at $3,800, but he's not selling.

Even if Auburn earns a playoff spot, Hefner doesn't anticipate hedging on his wager.

"I don't usually hedge because I'm not trying to make a living with these plays or pay the mortgage," said Hefner, who does a podcast with a friend and his nephew, an Auburn student. "I'm just having fun. That said, I've had my share of heartbreak."

He had a $175 bet on the Atlanta Falcons to win last year's Super Bowl at 57-to-1, which would've meant a more than $10,000 win, and a pair of $100 bets on Auburn to win the BCS title in 2013 at 75-to-1.