49er Fan Mines Gold With Wild Wager

A gambler is $300,000 richer after betting $2.4 million on the San Francisco 49ers to win the Super Bowl on Sunday, more than double the record sports wager in the United States.

The unidentified man walked into The Mirage in Las Vegas on Saturday and bet on the money line, where there’s no point spread and the 49ers were a 1-8 favorite.

The bettor won $300,000 and got back his $2.4 million after San Francisco routed the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Miami, becoming the first team to win five Super Bowls.

“It’s a lot of money, but I welcomed it,” said Jimmy Vaccaro, race and sports book director at The Mirage. “He asked me what I thought. I told him I would tell him after the game.”

San Francisco was an 18-point favorite to win, the biggest spread in Super Bowl history.

Young and Clueless

San Francisco quarterback Steve Young waited until after Sunday’s Super Bowl to make his first major mistake. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was near the locker room, congratulating 49ers, when Young mistook him for another famous Jackson.

“Yo, Reggie,” Young said.

So there you have Sunday’s only real proof that Young isn’t perfect. The league’s Most Valuable Player became the Super Bowl’s MVP, too, in a 49-26 dismissal of San Diego. Young threw a Super-Bowl record six touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also the game’s leading rusher.

Coast to coast

Andre Coleman’s 98-yard kickoff for a touchdown in the third quarter equaled the longest return in Super Bowl history. The Charger shares the record with Fulton Walker, who did it for Miami against Washington in 1983. The only other player to return a kickoff for a TD in a Super Bowl was Cincinnati’s Stanford Jennings, who ran one back 93 yards against San Francisco in 1989.

Bobby’s Super Seven

San Diego Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard was in his seventh Super Bowl with his fourth team.

The Beathard ledger:

Washington Redskins: GM for ‘83, ‘84 and ‘87 Super Bowl teams (2-1).

Miami Dolphins: Director of player personnel for ‘73 and ‘74 Super Bowl teams (2-0).

Kansas City Chiefs: Scout for first Super Bowl in ‘67 (0-1).

Gale force

Gale Gilbert, the Chargers’ backup quarterback, was back for his fifth straight Super Bowl. His team has lost each time. He was with the Buffalo Bills the past four years. Sunday night was the first time he actually played in a NFL title game. He completed three of six passes for 30 yards and had one pass intercepted in relief of Stan Humphries.

Talking heads

Here’s a sample of tele-babble from ABC’s finest:

“They were very demeanor.” Leslie Visser describing the 49ers in a halftime, sideline report.

“For those of you out there who have never played in a Super Bowl, I haven’t either.” Dan Dierdorf.

“That’s (San Diego center) Courtney Hall, he’s the offensive quarterback of the offensive line.” Frank Gifford.

“Keep in mind, the Chargers are only three touchdowns and three two-point conversions behind.” Dierdorf.