McIlroy's dad cashes in on son's British Open victory with 10-year-old bet
Isn't there a point when most every dad has the utmost confidence in his kid's talent?
There might not be a better example than Rory McIlroy's father -- and it's going to be rewarded, a United Kingdom retail bookmaker said Sunday via its Twitter account.
You see, when McIlroy was a teen prodigy, his dad, Gerry, and some friends decided to pool some money together -- and got 500-1 odds that McIlroy could win the British Open before age 26.
That paid off big, as confirmed by Ladbrokes.
CONGRATULATIONS RORY: We're paying out 180k to Rory's Dad and pals. There'll be some party at the McIlroy's tonight! pic.twitter.com/wOG7vvIygd
— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) July 20, 2014
Sure, the money pales in comparison to McIlroy's first-place check of about $1.67 million, but the bragging rights seem nearly as steeped.
On Saturday, a Ladbrokes spokesperson told ESPN that McIlroy's father was part of a 200-pound bet in 2004 at those 500-1 odds; at $341 in U.S. dollars at the time, that's going to pay $171,000; another 400 pounds in bets placed in 2004 by friends of Gerry McIlroy will pay $136,700.
It just added a little more drama to Sunday's victory.
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