Dave Portnoy picked Rutgers in his ‘strongest play of the year’ before shocking upset

On December 14, 2024, Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, made what he claimed to be his "strongest play of the year" by betting on Rutgers to cover a 29.5-point spread against UMass in a college football game. Portnoy confidently stated, "I made my 1st bet of college football season and it may be my strongest play of the year. Rutgers -29.5 to beat umass by 40 plus," on the social media platform X.

However, the game did not unfold as Portnoy anticipated. UMass ended up defeating Rutgers 37-21, a result that was significantly worse than the predicted margin. At one point during the third quarter, UMass was leading by 30-7, a margin that seemed far greater than the 29.5-point spread suggested.

Portnoy acknowledged his poor choice during the game, stating, "Alright hand up, I gotta be a leader right now – we need more leaders in this country. I gave out Rutgers as my pick of the week, -29.5. I said, 'I think this pick is so easy, it might be the pick of the year' – and I believed it. I put my hard-earned money on it with DraftKings. Well, they're down 24-7; it could be 54-7."

Despite his loss, Portnoy did not blame his pick on any external factors. He expressed his disappointment, saying, "That was the worst pick. It’s a long football season. I’ve got to be better. Hand up, that’s the most embarrassing thing I’ve done in 24 years of Barstool. I’m talking anything."

Barstool Sports itself recognized Portnoy's embarrassing pick, featuring him on a poster before the game even reached halftime.