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Peyton Manning once won a table of roulette players big money by encouraging them to bet on red 18.
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Former Colts punter Pat McAfee told the story on “Monday Night Football.”
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McAfee said that Manning walked in like Stone Cold Steve Austin and walked out a genius.
Peyton Manning knows how to win.
In his 18 years in the NFL, Manning won two Super Bowls, five MVP awards, and a career record of 186-79. But according to his former teammate Pat McAfee, Manning’s winning ways extend beyond the football field.
As a guest on ESPN2’s “Manning Cast” during the Monday night game, McAfee relayed an incredible story of Manning at the roulette table. McAfee punted for the Colts during Manning’s tenure as quarterback before starting a career in broadcasting,
While on a golf trip with the team, Manning rented out a section of the casino for him and his teammates to enjoy. McAfee had a rough night at the tables and was making an early exit but stopped by one of the public roulette tables for a few more spins before bed.
McAfee played the numbers of several of his Colts teammates – No. 1 for himself, No. 4 for kicker Adam Vinatieri – and covered a good portion of the board. But before the spin, Manning came out from their section of the casino and said hello.
“As soon as that curtain moved, it was like Stone Cold Steve Austin with the glass break,” McAfee said. “As soon as he hits that public area, there’s a buzz. Oh, Peyton Manning! Peyton Manning! Especially in French Lick, Indiana. Jesus Christ might as well have walked out from behind that curtain.”
Manning approached the table, stopped by McAfee, and said, “How about that red 18 Pat?” referencing Manning’s number. “He gives me like, a gun and a wink,” McAfee said.
After a moment of consideration, those playing at the table pushed all-in on red 18.
“Everybody at the table put their chips on red 18,” McAfee said. “I had to pick mine up off of 1, 4, all the other ones.”
And then, the kicker.
“This is not a lie. This is no BS. I’m sure they have cameras and surveillance footage. Spins that thing, 18 hits, bananas – the whole place. Obviously, Peyton just walks out as if this was just a regularity. Everybody got paid. And it was at that moment I was like, alright, if Peyton asks me to jump, how high dude, whatever you need.”
On the broadcast, Manning joked that the trick he pulled off with McAfee hadn’t worked since that fateful day. Still, it only needed to work once to become a legendary story for those in attendance.
Read the original article on Insider