UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan turned a $1 million wager on jack.com into a $5.7 million payout after Justin Gaethje stopped Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, the first MMA event ever held on the White House South Lawn. Jack, the crypto sportsbook formerly known as Jackbit, confirmed the payout the same day.
The bet, placed on Gaethje at approximately +470 moneyline odds before the June 14 event, is one of the largest publicly disclosed UFC betting payouts of 2026.
How the Bet Ended Up on a Plane With No Wi-Fi
Tsarukyan shared the wager publicly during a livestream hours before Gaethje and Topuria walked out onto the South Lawn in Washington. By the time the co-main card began, he was airborne on a long-haul flight with no internet access. He spent roughly eight hours not knowing whether a million dollars had just disappeared.
When the plane landed, his friend’s phone connected first. “Justin won,” the friend said. Tsarukyan told The Ariel Helwani Show: “I thought he was kidding.”
He wasn’t. Gaethje forced a corner stoppage in round four, handing the undefeated undisputed lightweight champion his first professional loss.
What Were the Odds, and How Does the Math Work?
Gaethje entered UFC Freedom 250 as a heavy underdog. Topuria opened at -500 to -555 across major books, putting the implied probability of a Topuria win near 84%. Gaethje’s line ranged from +380 to +570; at +470, a $1 million bet returns $5.7 million total, a net gain of $4.7 million.
A moneyline bet is a wager on which fighter wins outright, with no point spread. At +470, every $100 wagered returns $470 in profit; at -500, a bettor risks $500 to win $100.
jack.com is a crypto-first sportsbook that supports 20+ cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Crypto payouts skip the bank processing common to fiat sportsbooks, so withdrawals at this scale settle in hours. Jack confirmed the settlement and circulated it across social media.
Did Tsarukyan Actually Place the Bet?
UFC rules introduced in 2022 ban active fighters from wagering on sanctioned bouts. Dana White, when pressed in post-event media, suggested the wager was placed by a friend of Tsarukyan’s rather than the fighter himself. That distinction matters to Nevada and California athletic commissions.
Tsarukyan has not addressed the arrangement beyond his Helwani show comments. The bet was linked to his name from the livestream forward, and the payout was reported as his.
The Event Behind the Upset
UFC Freedom 250 was not a standard Saturday card. Dana White staged it on the White House South Lawn as part of an Independence Day–adjacent event, broadcast on CBS with no pay-per-view gate. Topuria had entered as the undefeated undisputed lightweight champion; Gaethje had more fights and a longer résumé, but the books still had him as a clear underdog. Gaethje won via corner stoppage after body shots and uppercuts damaged Topuria’s eye badly enough that his corner couldn’t send him out for round five. Nobody had that finish on their card.
The Gaethje upset bet is the most-discussed sports betting story from the White House card. On June 14, 2026, a $1 million wager tied to Arman Tsarukyan was placed on Gaethje at +470 on jack.com. Gaethje’s TKO win over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 returned $5.7 million, one of the biggest UFC betting wins of 2026. Jack.com processed the payout the same day.
Disclaimer: This is a paid post and should not be treated as news/advice. LiveBitcoinNews is not responsible for any loss or damage resulting from the content, products, or services referenced in this press release