From Final Four to $50K Winner on DerbyWars!

It was a very good week for Charles Bryan, who parlayed a Final Four finish in the $10,000 Bracket Challenge into a dominating win in the $50,000 Blue Grass Day Game!

 

"Over the 25 yrs of betting horses and in handicapping tournaments I've never had a bigger score than this win!" he said. He took the $20,000 first prize, including an entry in the next $50K.

Bryan, of Culvertown, Kentucky, is better known as "muttdog88" on the leaderboard, a place he has seen a lot of in the past few weeks. Beginning a winning streak in the Head-to-Head Bracket Challenge on March 22, he made it all the way to the Final Four on April 5, where he qualified for the $50K despite facing defeat to eventual Champion Jason Avila.

"The key to winning tournaments on DerbyWars is to find live longshots," he said. "You've got to beat favorites to have a chance."

In Saturday's game, there were many favorites to be beaten, and Bryan found a few to finish the game with a $124 final score. 

"I only hit 3 out of 14 races but they were prices... I was getting nervous toward the end because I wasn't hitting anything and everyone was creeping up on me. I'm thankful that no one in contention had Danza at 40-1 in Arkansas Derby!"

 

Bryan has been a racing fan since his first trip to the track. "I got started in horseracing when me and a couple of buddies went to our home track Churchill Downs and I've had the fever since," he said. "I gotta say I'm addicted to Derby Wars and would say to all who like to play tournaments that I don't know of any other site that's better!"

 

Runner-up in his second $50,000 game in 2014 was Craig Hom (chestnut), who tallied a $96.20 final score for the $10,000 second prize.

 

"I think I've just been lucky in these big games," said Hom, who hails from San Francisco. "I'm always picking up new angles from talking to people, and the players on DerbyWars are really, really good. But it's important to stick to what you do best. I had information overload a few weeks ago and lost my way a bit but got back to basics recently and started playing better again. I don't think the third time is a charm, it's incredibly hard and one has to get very lucky to come in second twice (in a $50K game). I feel really fortunate but very happy at the same time!"

 

Terrence Wraight (ocalarocket) filled out the trifecta with a $93 total. Lenny Moon (equinometry) has a complete play-by-play about his $92.80 fourth-place run.