Punters Frenzied Over Nick Castellanos Home Run Bet After Death of Pope Francis
In the wake of Pope Francis' passing on Monday, bedlam ensued among baseball bettors as they plunged their cash on Nick Castellanos, the Philadelphia Phillies' star slugger, to smash a homerun against the New York Mets. You might wonder why such a fuss over a simple sports bet, well, Castellanos has a bizarre yet widely recognized knack for belting one out the park on the darkest of days.
Nicknames like the "Mourning Mash-Master" and "Sad-Home Run King" have followed Castellanos ever since he first stepped onto the diamond, oblivious to the misery he'd inadvertently ushered in. It all began back in 2020 when he decimated a pitch during a controversial on-air apology by a broadcaster, sparking an internet meme about his uncanny timing for hitting homers during major or tragic news events.
Since then, he's been unapologetically associated with hitting home runs on days of significance or sorrow, such as eulogies for war veterans and Memorial Day tributes. This trend has created a strange pattern in the betting world, as gamblers instinctively check if Castellanos is playing on days of major news, leading to sudden surges in home run wagers placed on him.
On the day Pope Francis tragically passed away (April 21, 2025), this pattern reached fever pitch. Castellanos' home run odds on FanDuel plummeted from +750 to +560, then further to +500 as heavy betting poured in. He quickly became the odds-on favorite for being the most bet player to hit a home run at sportsbooks like BetMGM and ESPN Bet, with wagers on him outnumbering those on any other player by three times or more. In fact, FanDuel temporarily locked betting on Castellanos to control the betting frenzy.
So, in essence, Castellanos garnered significant attention that day due to the nearly superstitious pattern of him hitting homers during major news events, including notable deaths like that of Pope Francis. Whether it's sheer statistical improbability or an eerie coincidence, one thing is for certain - betting on Castellanos when tragedy strikes is a rollercoaster ride you don't want to miss!
- Even given the passing of Pope Francis, sports-betting operators saw a surge in bets on Nick Castellanos, the Philadelphia Phillies' slugger, to hit a home run, due to his well-recognized knack for it on dark days.
- Sportsbooks like BetMGM and FanDuel reported increased betting on Castellanos, with his home run odds plummeting significantly on April 21, 2025, leading to him being the odds-on favorite for most-bet player to hit a home run that day.
- In the aftermath of Pope Francis' death, Castellanos' unusual sports-betting trend reached its peak, with bettors at MLB betting platforms like ESPN Bet exhibiting a near superstitious pattern in wagering on him.
- Regardless of whether it's statistical improbability or an eerie coincidence, betting on Nick "Sad-Home Run King" Castellanos when tragedy strikes has clearly become an exciting ride for sports-bettors.
