At this point, Ricky Jay Fredricks might have more riding on the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles than anyone who isn't actually on the team.
Fredricks, a casino host for a major Las Vegas hotel, told ESPN that his roommate recently owed him $5. Instead of taking the cash, Fredericks told his roommate to put money down on an NCAA tournament team.
Luckily for both men, Fredericks' roommate chose Florida Gulf Coast.
Fredericks said his roommate decided to wager $10 on the Eagles, with the idea being that the two would split the profit if the No. 15 seed got to the Final Four.
And now, after two improbable victories, Fredericks and his friend are 80 excrutiating minutes of basketball away from a $10,000 payday.
"My roommate placed a bunch of bets, and this is just the one he randomly gave me," Fredricks told ESPN. "I don't think he intended for them to actually win. He has a much larger bet on Florida [FGCU's opponent on Friday] to win the championship, as well as a large wager on the field bet."
A representative from the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino Superbook confirmed to ESPN that Fredericks' slip was the only 1,000-to-1 ticket it sold on FGCU.
"It's a fun sweat for good friends," Fredricks told ESPN. "Five thousand for five dollars. Would be a nice return on investment."
