Rory McIlroy's Dad Wins $340K on Decade-Old Bet on Son

Rory McIlroy won $1.66 million for winning the British Open on Sunday, but his father–along with three of his buddies–won over $340,000 for a bet they placed ten years ago on McIlroy to win the British Open by the time he was 25. 

McIlroy was 25 years and 16 days when he won the Open on Sunday, which was his third major, and the bet was good so long as McIlory won the Open before his 26th birthday.

Ten years ago, Gerry McIlroy and three of his friends “made a legal bet of 400 British pounds (100 each, equivalent to $170.87 currently) that the then-15-year-old would win the Open Championship by the age of 26” at 500-1 odds. They won 200,000 pounds (roughly $341,730).

McIlroy said his dad never pressured him and even suggested that he would take him to Disney World with his share of the winnings. McIlroy said since he has already been to Disney World a trip to Sea World or Universal may be better. McIlroy said he was happy for his dad and his three buddies and told reporters his dad can do whatever he wants with his new earnings.