My New Doc Film about a $2 Million Wager

"Double or Nothing" tells the story of friendship, overcoming addiction, running a marathon, and a high stakes bet.

Andy McElroy was a kid who grew up across the street from me here in Dallas. The youngest of four children, his mother was an active socialite and his father was a 1972 Texas gubernatorial candidate. A true sports fanatic who was exceptionally gifted with numbers, Andy ultimately became one of the biggest gambling bookies in history. While I was a starving student and aspiring writer, Andy was flying around in a Falcon jet and renting Johnny Carson’s former yacht on the Maine coast during the summers.

In 2013, Andy’s five-billion-dollar sports gambling ring was busted by the Feds.

Since then, he has made a living from high stakes personal wagers. In 2022, he lost a $1 million bet that his best friend, ‘G-Man’ couldn’t quit alcohol and drugs. Andy then offered to run the Honolulu Marathon, even though he was 80 pounds overweight and hadn’t walked a mile since 2005. If he failed, he would owe double. If he succeeded, he would owe nothing.

The second I heard about this crazy wager, I knew I HAD to document it, so I asked my brother in Hawaii to scramble a film crew. Though making a documentary film about this kind of subject matter was a departure from my usual work, I found it to be a great deal of fun.

Double or Nothing began as a story about friendship, high stakes gambling, overcoming addiction, and beating the odds that stack ever more against us as we grow older. Midway into the production, it morphed into a mystery about possible cheating to avoid paying a $1 million double or nothing bet.

Viewer Discretion Advised because the film contains many adult themes. I do NOT approve of most of the conduct presented in the story—I am merely telling the story. As a storyteller, I agree with the Roman playwright Terence, who once remarked: Homo sum; humani nil a me alienum puto – that is, “I am human and I consider nothing human to be alien to me.” I recognize that the Seven Deadly Sins are part of the human condition, even though I strive to avoid committing them.

To watch the film, please click on the image below, which will take you to the film’s website. Many thanks!