Second thoughts

Miami Heat forward LeBron James’ highlight reel dunk Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks was inspired by a Miami Hurricanes play.
Miami Heat forward LeBron James’ highlight reel dunk Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks was inspired by a Miami Hurricanes play.

— Rainbow 6 bet brings pot of gold

Monday afternoon at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, one winning Classix ticket was worth $548,553.40.

The winning ticket was sold through Xpressbet, an advance wagering deposit site, according to Bobby Geiger, Oaklawn’s director of gaming and wagering.

It was Oaklawn’s largest Classix payout since Feb. 15, 1995, when a single winning $2 ticket was worth $818,693.40. The bet was changed two years ago to allow $1 betting denominations.

Impressive as Oaklawn’s payout was Monday, it pales in comparison to what happened Friday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., where a winning pick six ticket was good for $3,591,245.44. It is believed to be the largest payoff for a winning pick six ticket in North American racing. The winning ticket was purchased at The Meadowlands in New Jersey and cost the lucky bettor, or band of bettors, $3,118.50.

The Rainbow 6, as the Pick 6 is called at Gulfstream, had not been cashed since Dec. 28, a span of 39 racing days.

What makes the Rainbow 6 so difficult, even though it is made in 10-cent denominations, is that the jackpot only pays out when there is a single winner. If there is no ticket with six winners, or more than one ticket with six winners, the money bet that day carries over to the next day, or until there is only one winner.

So you don’t only have to be lucky, but really, really lucky.

The previous record for a ticket sold in the Gulfstream Rainbow 6 was $791,364 on April 1, 2012.

No respect

LeBron James might be the best player in the NBA and the most popular athlete in south Florida, but don’t tell that to Miami Hurricanes center Reggie Johnson.

Johnson said he was thrilled when James and Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade borrowed a trick from the Hurricanes’ Shane Larkin and Kenny Kadji when Wade lobbed the ball off the backboard to set up James’ highlight-reel dunk at Atlanta on Wednesday. Larkin did the same thing for Kadji during a recent Miami-North Carolina game that several Miami Heat players attended.

Wade told reporters afterward that the Hurricanes inspired the play.

What was Johnson’s reaction?

“The second-best player in the league right now, LeBron James to say that and then Dwayne Wade to say that, man that’s remarkable.”

Who’s Johnson’s pick for No. 1 NBA player? Kobe Bryant.

No love lost

According to the satirical sports website, sportspickle.com, a birthday card for Michael Jordan’s birthday was signed by members of the 1992 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team, otherwise known as the Dream Team.

Some of the messages:

From Patrick Ewing: “I hate you and you ruined my NBA career. But congrats.”

From Earvin “Magic” Johnson: “Happy birthday, buddy. And don’t sweat being a terrible executive. Not everyone can be a success in business like me.”

From Charles Barkley: “I was going to get you a gift, but you still owe me 20 grand from poker last night.”

From David Robinson: “Congrats. As a gift. I’m having R.C. Buford call you to give you some tips on how to evaluate players. Enjoy!”

From Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen of Hamburg: “It was an honor playing with you and you made me so much better.

I owe my success to you. Also, any way you can lend me 50 bucks ?”

Quote of the day

“This is the ultimate challenge.” Arkansas men’s basketball Coach Mike Anderson, on the Razorbacks’ game against No. 5 Florida today in Gainesville, Fla.

Sports, Pages 20 on 02/23/2013

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