Starbucks barista beats sharps, wins $900k in Las Vegas SuperContest

Published Jan. 3, 2017 9:21 a.m. ET

Nate Scott

A 32-year-old Starbucks barista who has been asked to be called "Damon G." won the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest this year, winning over $900,000 in what is considered one of the most prestigious football handicapping contests in the world.

The Las Vegas barista's entry beat out the rest of the field, which was a record 1,854 entries this year. The SuperContest costs $1,500 to enter, and has traditionally been won by Vegas sharps, though as its popularity grows more and more recreational gamblers have entered.

Damon G. made two entries, the maximum allowed, into the contest this year, and his entry called "pops2008" won after he went 5-0 against the spread in Week 17 to finish 54-28-3 (65.8 percent). His other entry finished tied for 40th, which also won him an additional $2,217.38 to go with his $895,482 prize for first place, per ESPN. He also earned $10,000 for winning the "mini-contest" over the last three weeks of the season.

Via ESPN:

Asked how he could afford the $3,000 for the two SuperContest entries, Damon replied, "I decided last year, after just having one entry, that I wanted to give two a try. I just saved my money by cutting expenses and making sacrifices in my social life. I worked and just got ready for the football season."