It’s not every day you get to meet your biggest NFL idol, but Fanatics gave one Tennessee free-to-play contest champion that very experience.
What Roydon Hudson, the Fanatics 5 Jackpot winner, expected to find when he met up with the Fanatics crew in Chattanooga, TN was a room full of media there to capture his reaction to claiming the $900,000 prize. What he got instead was a once-in-a-lifetime surprise from Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant.
Fanatics Brings Cowboys Star to Fan’s Delight
Hudson met the media with a shy smile at Jonathan’s Grill on July 31, set to collect his prize money.
He said his big payoff still didn’t quite feel real. Moments into his interview, reality came into focus.
The familiar face of a Dallas Cowboys great burst out from behind the cameras. The flamboyant Bryant, donning a custom Cowboys jersey and Texas-sized cowboy hat, was there to congratulate Hudson.
The Cowboys wide receiver greeted Hudson warmly.
“The man, the myth, the the legend, how you doin’?” Bryant shouted to Hudson.
The room turned electric as the two hugged.
Regaining his composure, Hudson said, “I was feeling great, but now I’m feeling even better, yes sir!”
His family buzzed with joy, knowing just how much the moment meant for Hudson, who considers Bryant one of his all-time heroes.
Hudson reminisced about his long-time devotion to Bryant and the Cowboys.
“I love his antics on the field,” Hudson said. “He’d throw up the X-sign, get the crowd pumped up. I’ve been a fan of the Cowboys for a while now. Him, Troy Aikman, the Super Bowls. Gotta love ’em.”
Hudson Wins Fanatics 5 Jackpot with HR Derby Picks
During the Major League Baseball All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby on July 15, Hudson won the Fanatics 5 Jackpot by selecting the winners of each of the four first-round Derby matchups, their home run totals, plus the distance of one winner’s home run.
Correctly predicting all five selections to secure his win was no easy feat, though Hudson made it look simple. He said it took a bit of MLB knowledge and trust in his gut, admitting, “This was real lucky.”
Hudson’s MLB Home Run Derby picks to lock in the Fanatics 5 Jackpot:
- Marcell Ozuna to hit more Round 1 home runs than Pete Alonso (16-18 HRs)
- Alec Bohm to hit more Round 1 home runs than Teoscar Hernández (19-21 HRs)
- José Ramírez to hit more Round 1 home runs than Bobby Witt Jr. (19-21 HRs)
- Adolis Garcia to hit more Round 1 home runs than Gunnar Henderson (16-18 HRs)
- Adolis Garcia to log a longest home run of 440 feet or less in Round 1 (435 feet)
Fanatics 5 Jackpot Winner to Hit The Road
Hudson said he’s tried not to make too many decisions regarding his future following the win. For now, he plans on enjoying life and traveling with his family.
First on the list will be a trip to Texas to catch the Cowboys in action once the NFL season starts.
Hudson also plans to surprise his wife with a trip to Hawaii. It’s somewhere she’s always wanted to go. And thanks to his Fanatics 5 Jackpot win, he can finally take her.
As for early retirement, Hudson says he’ll be considering the option.
Bryant congratulated him again.
“It’s dope to see you have this huge accomplishment,” he said. “I think it’s fire. A huge blessing to your family. For real, go have fun, enjoy, and make the most of it. Seriously, congratulations.”
Find Free-To-Play Games on the Fanatics App
The Fanatics 5 Jackpot game is not on the Fanatics Sportsbook app. It is one of three new free-to-play games on the redesigned Fanatics app.
You must be 21+ to play.
Fanatics 5 Jackpot is one of the sports apparel and memorabilia company’s attempts to reach sports fans and incentivize their loyalty to the brand. Fanatics offers the following free-to-play games:
- Fanatics 5 Daily: Make five winning sports picks and earn FanCash. Available Monday-Friday, with a chance at up to $250,000 for a weekly win streak.
- Fanatics 5 Jackpot: Users can collect a prize of up to $250,000 each Saturday. Picks with longer odds can earn higher payouts.
- Perfect 9: Tic-Tac-Toe meets bingo. Available on Sunday with prizes up to $500,000.
For offers available on the sportsbook app, read our Fanatics Sportsbook promo code review.
Fanatics Gives Hudson Signed MLB Jerseys
To commemorate the big win, Fanatics presented Hudson with autographed jerseys of each MLB player he picked in the Home Run Derby, each penned with personal messages to Hudson. Fanatics plans to have each professionally framed and redelivered to his home.
Bryant presented Hudson with the jerseys, reading out each one’s special thoughts.
Ozuna wrote, “You never forget your first pick,” and Garcia read, “From one champion to another.”
Bryant reflected on Fanatics’ gesture and CEO Michael Rubin’s involvement throughout the process.
“You know Rubin, he likes to do it big,” Bryant said. “To take the extra mile, he Facetimed (Roy). He got the guys Ozuna, Garcia, Ramirez, and Bohm to all personally sign the jerseys for Roy. I thought that was extremely cool. You know, who can do stuff like that? Rubin.”
Hudson said he continues to play Fanatics free-to-play games every day, offering some advice for others who may be curious:
“Just play. Give it a try, and you’ll love it.”
