(PHOTO AND STORY: KHQ.COM)
Like most of the Inland Northwest, Jake Houbrick will be watching intently as the Gonzaga Bulldogs take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA National Championship game on Monday evening. But Houbrick has more on the line than bragging rights.
This all began back on October 9 when Houbrick’s son called him from Vegas and asked if he wanted to place any bets. He decided to bet $60, with his sons, on the Zags winning the championship. The odds are 80 to 1. So if the Zags win on Monday, Jake will win $4,860.
Now almost six months later, Jake can’t believe it might actually happen. He says that even when he made the bet, he didn’t think the Zags would go this far this year.
He’s couldn’t be prouder of the team’s run so far. After all, he’s been a Zags fan for the past 25 years.
Even though he has so many reasons why he wants the Zags to win, there’s one reason that tops it all: He loves the Zags.
“It would be the pinnacle of success. You can't get better than that. For Spokane it's really bringing the community together,” he says. “It would mean the world to me, actually even way more than the money.”
Go Zags!