It’s one thing to cheer for your favorite team, but it’s quite another to place a big bet on them.
Caesar’s Sportsbook tweeted that a New York bettor placed $4,000 on the New Orleans Saints to win the Super Bowl this season. If the Saints win, the payout is $320,000.
There is no confirmation of who placed the bet, but the clues point to a certain Saints fan. Chris Kirchein is a native New Yorker and has loved the Saints since he was young. Kirchein quoted Caesar’s tweet.
“I can’t wait to win $320,000 in February. Thanks, Caesars!”
Anyone could quote Caesar’s tweet saying he made that bet, but Kirchein’s backstory rings true. Canal Street Chronicles, a Saints news channel, spotlighted Kirchein in a Q&A in 2023. The Saints superfan mentioned that he currently lives in Rockaway Beach, NY. His uncle bought a house in the French Quarter in 2003, and he attended his first game in 2005. Kirchein eventually transferred and graduated from LSU.
“It was the preseason game against Seattle and from then on I was hooked,” Kirchein said of Canal Street Chronicles. “After that I went to New Orleans at least once a year and each time I discovered more things I loved about the city.”
Kirchein mentioned that the highlight of his Saints fandom was winning a “Craziest Saints Fan” contest in 2010 hosted by former linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Kirchein went to training camp where he met Vilma, Drew Brees and other New Orleans stars. He won the contest after explaining to Vilma how he became a fan and showing him the Saints collectibles and memorabilia he had in his room.
Unless Kirchein is a rewards member at Caesars Sportsbook, the bet wouldn’t make much sense on that particular betting site. The bet was at +8,000 odds, but a site like FanDuel listed New Orleans at +10,000 to win the Super Bowl. That’s a difference of $400,000 versus $320,000. But if he’s a rewards member at Caesars, he’s guaranteed the points, but certainly not the huge payout.
There’s a reason the Saints have slim odds of winning. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2020 and haven’t made any major improvements that would put them in title contention this offseason. Not to mention, according to NOLA.com, there have only been three teams that had preseason odds of +5,000 or higher and won the Super Bowl. The 1981 San Francisco 49ers (+5,000), the 1999 St. Louis Rams (+15,000) and the 2001 New England Patriots (+6,000).
Kirchein, or whoever made this bet, will receive a huge payout if New Orleans can exceed expectations and win this year’s Super Bowl. Ironically, the game this year is being played in New Orleans at Caesar’s Superdome.
