#englishnews #daveportnoy #caitlinclark
News Article :-
Media mogul Dave Portnoy’s hopes of cashing an enormous bet on Caitlin Clark are dead after the Indiana Fever was eliminated from the WNBA playoffs on Wednesday.
The Fever succumbed to a 2-0 defeat in the best-of-three series against the Connecticut Sun, going down 87-81 at Mohegan Sun Arena. No. 1 overall pick Clark delivered an impressive performance with the Fever’s season on the line, racking up 25 points and nine assists.
But it was not enough as the three-seed Sun proved a class above the Fever, who recovered from a 1-8 start to Clark’s rookie season to finish third in the Eastern Conference with a 20-20 record.
The Sun will face the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals, but Barstool Sports founder Portnoy’s hopes of a huge profit are over.
The 47-year-old makes no effort to conceal his fandom for former Iowa sensation Clark, staking huge bets on her games at both the collegiate and professional level.
And he put his money where his mouth is in August, wagering $100,000 at odds of +10,000 for the Fever to win the WNBA title. Had the bet landed, he would have scooped in excess of $10 million.
"Caitlin Clark is a top 3 player in the league," Portnoy posted on social media at the time, explaining his wager. "Maybe the best. She got rest for the 1st time in a year. Aliyah Boston and her chemistry grows every game. They started 1-8. 10-7 since then and improving. I had to do it.”
Portnoy, known for his huge sports bets, admitted he was “sad” but hailed the performance of the Fever in a video posted on X, declaring he had become a “fan for life”. The Massachusetts native vowed to bet big again on Clark and the Fever for years to come.
“What a run for the Fever,” he said. “Came to an end in Connecticut. They played their f------ t--- off, whatever you want to say, battled the entire time.
“Way better effort than Game 1. Caitlin was balling out there, just making plays. She was gassed because she usually sits. Didn’t sit.
“I’m proud of these women over there and I’m an Indiana Fever fan for life, a Caitlin fan for live. She’s going to get her championships. Yeah, I would have liked to have won the $10m. She’s f------ special.
“They f------ battled and it’s just beginning. I’m never going to get them at 100/1 again, I don’t care, I’m betting them every year. This team is just beginning, just becoming special.
“Great season, great fun. I’ve had more fun watching the Indiana Fever than I’ve had watching sports in a while. I’m sad.”
