Mito Periera PGA Championship Collapse Cost Bettor Six-Figure Payout

One bettor was one hole away from turning $500 to $150K

by

May 22, 2022

All one bettor needed was for Mito Pereira to par the par-4 18th hole during the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on Sunday afternoon.

Pereira, the leader entering Sunday after carding a 9-under par through 54 holes, stepped up to the 18th tee with a one shot lead on the rest of the field. He proceeded to send his tee shot into the water and finished by carding a double-bogey.

It not only dropped Pereira out of the lead, but allowed Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris to then compete in a three-hole playoff after being tied at 5-under par through 72 holes. Pereira finished 4-under par 276 on the four-day tournament after a final round of 5-over.

He cost one bettor a six-figure pay out due to his collapse on the 18th hole.

Professional sports bettor Rufus, as he's known on Twitter, bet $500 on Pereira to win the PGA Championship at 300-to-1 odds at Circa Sports in Las Vegas. Should Pereira have hung on, Rufus would have won $150,000 on a $500 wager.

Rufus wasn't the only one who lost out, though.

Pereira watched an even bigger pay day slip through his finger tips as a victory at the PGA Championship would have earned the 27-year-old native of Chile $2.7 million. Instead, Pereira finished in a tie for third resulting in $870,000 -- a loss of $1.83 million, as shared by Action Network's Darren Rovell.

Justin Thomas claimed the victory at Sunday's PGA Championship.

Thumbnail photo via Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports Images

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