Two names were trending Monday morning after news broke about the death of Pope Francis. JD Vance and Nick Castellanos.
Vance, because he was one of the pope’s last visitors, meeting with him at the Vatican on Easter Sunday. Castellanos, because of his propensity for hitting home runs immediately after massive news breaks, a tendency that tantalized sports bettors Monday morning.
Castellanos’ flair for the dramatic began in 2020, when he hit a homer that interrupted then-Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman’s apology for using a homophobic slur on-air. Since then, Castellanos has hit homers while broadcasters were eulogizing a World War II veteran, and he did it again during a somber Memorial Day message in 2022.
It wasn’t a homer, but Castellanos did get a walk-off hit last summer on the day Willie Mays died. He did, however, homer the day there was an assassination attempt against Donald Trump, and when then-President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
With news that Pope Francis had died, breaking in the morning, bettors ran to see if Castellanos would be playing Monday night. And much to their delight, Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies will be in Queens to begin a three-game set with the New York Mets.
According to John Ewing, Castellanos has been the most bet player to hit a home run, receiving three times as many bets as any other player at BetMGM following the news of the pope’s death. Other sportsbooks likely saw similar upticks in wagers on the Phillies outfielder as well. At one point, FanDuel even temporarily prevented people from betting on Castellanos to hit a homer Monday night.
Nick Castellanos has a history of hitting dingers during major news events or noteworthy deaths.
Pope Francis just passed away.@Phillies outfielder (+625) is the most bet player to hit a Home Run today.
3X as many bets on Castellanos as any other player at @BetMGM pic.twitter.com/w8mJO2kJWz
— John Ewing (@johnewing) April 21, 2025
It’s hard to argue with the schedule of Castellanos’ timely or untimely homers from his career. And if he does come through Monday night, expect the betting to increase whenever white smoke rises from the top of the Sistine Chapel.
