Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, is placing his faith—and a sizable amount of money—on Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. With the WNBA Finals still over a month away, Portnoy made a daring $100,000 bet on the Fever winning the championship, banking on the potential of the league’s standout rookie, Caitlin Clark.
“Caitlin Clark is easily one of the top 3 players in the league right now—maybe even the best,” Portnoy declared on X (formerly Twitter) this past Sunday. “She’s finally getting the rest she needs after an intense year. Plus, A’ja Wilson and her chemistry with the team is getting stronger with each game. They started off rough at 1-8 but have turned it around to 10-7 since then. I had to make this bet,” he continued, sharing a screenshot of his bold $100,000 wager.
Portnoy’s gamble has stirred up mixed reactions among fans. Given that the Fever’s only WNBA championship came back in 2012, some are skeptical. “Betting $100,000 on a long shot like this is just crazy,” one fan commented. Another added, “You might be a year too early with this one, to be honest.”
However, not all fans are doubting Portnoy’s bet. “With those odds, it’s worth a shot—you never know!” one optimistic fan noted. Another chimed in, “This could go down as the greatest bet in history,” while someone else simply labeled it “bold.”
If Indiana defies the odds and clinches the Commissioner’s Cup Trophy, Portnoy stands to win a staggering $10,100,000.
This isn’t the first time the controversial media mogul has made headlines with his high-stakes sports bets. Just a few months ago, Portnoy pocketed $1.6 million after the Boston Celtics secured their 18th franchise title by defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the Celtics team celebrated their victory amidst a shower of green and white confetti at TD Garden, while Portnoy celebrated another successful future wager.
Portnoy had placed a $100,000 bet, parlaying the Celtics’ championship win with Scottie Scheffler’s victory at the RBC Heritage, resulting in a massive payout. “It’s not about the money, but I’ll gladly take the quick $1.6 million,” the 47-year-old quipped on X, sharing a screenshot of his winning bet.
Earlier in the year, Portnoy claimed to have made $5.4 million in the first four months of 2024 alone, thanks to his accurate predictions in golf, college basketball, NFL, and college football.
However, his winning streak hit a bump during the Stanley Cup Final. Portnoy would have walked away with $1.2 million had the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Florida Panthers. He had wagered $150,000 on Edmonton back in April. “The streak ended last night. I can’t be mad at the Oilers—they gave it a great run,” Portnoy reflected on X at the time.
