Tom Brady was relatively unknown when he led the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory in 2002. Brady guided a decisive drive that culminated in a 48-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri, earning the Patriots a 20-17 win against the Los Angeles Rams. This game is remembered as one of the largest upsets in Super Bowl history, with the Patriots entering the match as two-touchdown underdogs and listed at +750 on the moneyline.
While the game was significant for Brady, it was an even bigger night for Robert Walker, the former bookmaker at The Mirage, who took a remarkable $4.6 million moneyline bet on the Rams. "This was a big-time casino player who loved to bet big-time favorites," Walker explained. “I thought he was treating it like a CD, betting a lot to win a little."
This wager stood as the largest Super Bowl bet at a regulated sportsbook until 2022, when Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale placed a $5 million bet on the Bengals to win against the Rams. McIngvale used the wager to counterbalance an in-store promotion that promised to refund customers who spent $3,000 or more if Cincinnati emerged victorious.
Despite the size of the bet, Walker was not overly concerned. The Mirage had received considerable money on the Patriots to win, which helped mitigate the risk associated with the hefty wager. "We couldn’t lose on that game," Walker remarked. “We could take as much from this person as we wanted. Nothing could happen that would make us lose.” In retrospect, he acknowledged it turned out to be the best-case scenario for The Mirage.
Walker’s personality was on display as he watched Super Bowl 36. "Most people root for the best-case scenario, but I tend to root for the least loss," he said. "For us, the worst-case scenario was the Rams and the over, so that’s what I was rooting for. Anything better than that was a bonus."
Reflecting on that night, he found it humorous how The Mirage had won across the state. “I think the state won $3 million, and we won all of it. That was just adrenaline.”
Walker acknowledged his own competitive nature, admitting, “The problem I’ve always had is I’m just not a good loser. And I’m not a good winner either. Even if we held 100%, I’d still complain about the handle. It’s just in a bookmaker’s nature.”
He summarized the experience of that monumental evening with a hint of regret. "That was as good as it got. I should have quit right then and there because it’s all been downhill since then."
