Yesterday, we reported that professional poker player/hedge fund bro Dan Bilzerian had embarked on a 300-mile bicycle ride, with the intention of pedaling from his home in LA to the Las Vegas city limits in just 48 hours.
Many doubted that such a feat could be accomplished by a 35-year-old with a notoriously hedonistic lifestyle and four heart attacks in his recent past (Full disclosure: We were among the doubters.),
But to the shock of many (and the dismay of at least a few high-rollers), Bilzerian has completed his journey well ahead of schedule, having reached the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign this morning.
No official announcement has been made yet, but investor Bill Perkins, who bet Bilzerian $ 1.2 million that he couldn’t complete the trip in time posted the following tweet several hours before the deadline:
“@DanBilzerian 25 miles away, controversial van removed 100ish miles out, no doubt Dan smoked this on a few drugs & adrenaline #EgoMotivation”
The “controversial van” refers to a vehicle that Bilzerian had traveling in front of him in order to create a slipstream.
The divisive “King of Instagram” also traveled with a masseuse, two chefs, a team of medical professionals and a full police escort.
In addition to his wager with Perkins, Bilzerian reportedly had more than $ 1 million in side-bets on the line.
If he had died on the road (a legitimate possibility due to his aforementioned health issues), Bilzerian’s private jet would’ve been handed over to entrepreneur and Paris Hilton sex tape star Rick Salomon.
Bilzerian – who claims he hadn’t been on a bike for nearly two decades prior to accepting the challenge – trained for several weeks with cycling legend Lance Armstrong in exchange for making a $ 25,000 donation to the charity of Armstrong’s choice.
So if you’re considering attempting such a stunt yourself, remember that you probably can’t afford a team like Bilzerian’s – or the millions in bets that no doubt helped inspire him to reach the finish line.