Dave Portnoy Eyes $1.8 Million Payday as NFL Lifts Super Bowl Ban

Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, is sitting on a potential $1.8 million payout if the New England Patriots pull off an upset against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

According to senior sports betting analyst Ben Fawkes, Portnoy owns the biggest reported futures wager on the Patriots to win the Super Bowl — a $50,000 bet at 35-1 on DraftKings, placed back in October.

Portnoy Is No Longer Banned From The Super Bowl

The 2026 Super Bowl isn’t just about the money for Portnoy, it marks another important milestone for the Boston-native.

After years of friction with the NFL, he will finally be allowed to attend the game. 

Back in 2019, Portnoy was escorted out of Super Bowl LIII Media Day for falsifying media credentials, sparking a public feud with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Over the years, Portnoy has openly mocked Goodell over the years, including wearing a shirt depicting him with a clown nose.

This week, Portnoy announced on social media that the NFL ban on Barstool Sports had been lifted. Less than 24 hours later, the NFL confirmed he can purchase a ticket to the Patriots-Seahawks game, putting an end to their long-running feud.

Tracking Portnoy’s Previous Super Bowl Bets

This isn’t Portnoy’s first rodeo when it comes to high-stakes Super Bowl bets. 

Over the last four years, he’s swung for the fences, with a mix of wins, losses, and memorable commentary.

Super Bowl LIX (2025)

• Bet: Buffalo Bills to win the Super Bowl.
• Wager: $1,000,000 at +550 odds.
• Outcome: Loss. The Bills were eliminated by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. 

Portnoy famously called the game “rigged” after a controversial spot on a Josh Allen fourth-down run.

Super Bowl LVIII (2024)

• Bet: Kansas City Chiefs Moneyline.
• Wager: $500,000.
• Outcome: Won. Portnoy famously stated, “Always bet on Mahomes.” The Chiefs defeated the 49ers in overtime, netting him a $500,000 profit.

Super Bowl LVII (2023)

• Bet: Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl.
• Wager: $67,000 at +1500 (approximate).
• Outcome: Loss. Portnoy had a futures ticket to win $1,000,000 on the Bengals, but they lost to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

Super Bowl LVI (2022)

• Bet: Cincinnati Bengals Moneyline vs. Rams.
• Wager: Significant (Reported as “huge” but exact amount varied across platforms).
• Outcome: Loss. The Rams won 23-20.

Portnoy’s Latest Big Wins

Portnoy is no stranger to big wins either. He’s won over $1 million on a number of occasions over the past two years, including a $2.76 million payout on UConn winning the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 

Portnoy also won a bet on his hometown Boston Celtics winning the 2024 NBA Finals over the Dallas Mavericks.

Here are some of Portnoy’s most notable wins.

Now, all eyes are on Super Bowl LX. If the Patriots pull off the upset, Portnoy’s $50,000 bet will cement his reputation as one of the most daring and headline-grabbing figures in sports betting today.