Stampeders fan misses out on 24,576 beers after Eskimos win

The Calgary Stampeders lost to the Edmonton Eskimos this weekend, ending a 13-game winning streak. It was especially bad news for Stampeders fan Tim McMullen, who before the loss, had earned himself 24,576 bottles of beer.

"I think the pain of losing that many beers is one thing. But, losing to the Edmonton Eskimos ... that was a tough pill to swallow," McMullen tells As it Happens host Carol Off.

It all started in June of 2012, when McMullen made a bet with his brother-in-law Rich Sharpe, a die-hard Edmonton Eskimos fan. 

"We decided to put a friendly wager on an exhibition game for a six-pack of beer," he says.  

The Stampeders beat the Eskimos. So Sharpe suggested another bet -- double or nothing. This continued until Sharpe came to owe McMullen 24,576 beers.

"The six pack turned into 12. Twelve turned into 24. Twenty-four turned into 48," he says. "I was thinking this is the best bet of all time.

"It was always tongue and cheek at first. There was a little bit of hesitation around 48 and 96 because I think at that point there was actually a realistic idea of paying it off. I mean, when we started getting … into the high numbers, at least for me, the pleasure was hanging the number above his head."

That all ended this weekend. On Saturday, McMullen and his father, Herb, drove up to Edmonton to watch the rival teams play.

"We were heading up to the game and I said to my dad, 'I got a feeling. This is the day it comes up.'"

He was right. The Stampeders lost to the Eskimos by 11 points, ending their winning streak.

The two teams meet again on October 10. 

"Rich and I will have a six-pack set on that game," says McMullen. "I fully intend on going on another win streak. And, not only getting up to 24,000 beers, but getting up to 96,000 beers."