The upcoming triple bypass of local man Gary Brandt, 54, has emerged as a surprise breakout hit on Polymarket, where thousands of bettors have taken positions on whether he will survive the June 24 procedure, including a commanding NO position held by his own family.
“For weeks we were just losing sleep,” said wife Donna Brandt, 51, who moved the family’s home equity into the contract at 71 cents. “Then it hit me — we don’t have to choose between Gary and the kids’ future. We’ve got both covered.”
The family later borrowed $25,000 against the unrealized gains, putting up the position itself as collateral. “The loan’s the smart part,” Donna explained. “We didn’t want to wait around for the payout to start living.”
Brandt remained upbeat. “Honestly, it takes the pressure off me,” said Brandt, a Polymarket-sponsored content creator known online as Gary the Racist Guy, who hopes to return to the livestream career—approaching strangers and shouting slurs at them for the same platform now hosting bets on his death—“the second the doctors clear me.”