world’s most popular golfer, Tiger Woods won the Masters on Sunday, his fifth win at Augusta National and first major win since 2008.
When Tiger Woods won the Masters on Sunday he made a lot of people happy, with friends, family, and fans all joining together to celebrate Woods’ ascension back to the top of his sport.
But it’s likely that nobody was happier with Woods’ win than James Adducci from Wisconsin, who placed an $85,000 bet on Woods to win the Masters.
Adducci placed his bet with William Hill US sportsbook at 14/1 odds, and when Woods went on to win, his ticket cashed for an impressive $1.19 million payday.
“If I saw Tiger, I would tell him that I understood the pressure he must be under, because I, for a moment in time, felt it too,” Adducci told Darren Rovell of The Action Network.
On Monday, Adducci was in Las Vegas to cash his ticket at the William Hill Sports Book at SLS Casino. While speaking with reporters, he revealed some shocking news, claiming that this was the first bet he’d ever made on sports.
Speaking with Golf Digest’s Stephen Hennessey , Adducci, a self-employed day-trader, said that he put together all the money he could afford to lose and made the decision to put it on Woods. “I just thought it was pre-destined for him to win,” he told Hennessey.
Adducci says he was turned away from two casinos before William Hill decided to accept his action.
His faith in Woods came not just from his fine form, but the fact that Woods would be playing in front of his kids. “It wasn’t about the stats for me,” Adducci told Hennessey. “The fact that this was going to be his first major in front of his kids, I was convinced he would win.”
Adducci also praised his wife for her understanding during what must have been a trying few days. “She said to me, ‘I can’t stop you from doing this, because if he wins, I’ll never forgive myself.’ She’s a keeper.”