Why Mexico Returned the Rolex Watches Gifted by SteveWillDoIt
American YouTuber Stephen “SteveWillDoIt” Deleonardis celebrated Mexico reaching the World Cup knockout stage with an extravagant gift. He arrived at the national team’s training facility carrying Rolex watches reportedly worth around $1 million in total.
At first, the surprise appeared to go exactly as planned. Players selected their watches, celebrated with the creator and even tossed him into the air. Shortly after the video went viral, however, the Mexican Football Federation confirmed that the entire squad had agreed to return the gifts.SteveWillDoIt reportedly won a $2 million bet on Mexico
Interest in sports betting and prediction markets tends to rise sharply during major international tournaments. FIFA has even partnered with ADI Predictstreet, bringing official prediction-market involvement to the World Cup.
SteveWillDoIt reportedly staked $2 million on Mexico advancing to the Round of 16. The joint hosts won Group A before beating Ecuador 2-0 in the Round of 32, securing the result the YouTuber needed.
Following the victory, SteveWillDoIt visited the team’s training facility. He told the players that he loved Mexico, lived in the country and had even named his dog Juan Carlos.
He then opened a case filled with luxury watches and announced that every player and staff member would receive a Rolex. Six players, including the captain, were invited to choose first. Steve described the models as presidential Rolex watches with green faces.
One player asked why he was giving the team such expensive gifts. SteveWillDoIt explained that he had backed Mexico with a $2 million wager and joked that the watches were effectively free because the bet had won.
The squad responded enthusiastically. Players chanted, celebrated and lifted the YouTuber into the air. Clips of the giveaway spread quickly across social media, with many viewers praising him for sharing part of his winnings with the team.
Why Mexico decided to return the Rolex watches
Not long after the video attracted widespread attention, the Mexican Football Federation released a statement confirming that the watches would be returned.
According to the federation, the giveaway had been organized entirely on SteveWillDoIt’s initiative. The players and staff then made a collective decision not to keep the gifts.
The statement did not offer a detailed explanation, nor did it reveal what would happen to the watches after they were returned. Still, several factors may have influenced the decision.
One possible issue was Mexico’s sponsorship agreement with Hublot. Accepting and publicly displaying watches from a competing luxury brand could have created a conflict with the team’s existing commercial commitments.
FIFA’s ethical rules may also have played a role. The organization places restrictions on players and officials accepting high-value gifts, particularly when those gifts could create the appearance of a conflict of interest.
There has been no suggestion that SteveWillDoIt expected anything in return or attempted to influence the team. Large giveaways have long been part of his online content, and the visit appeared to be another celebration filmed for his audience.
A gift worth approximately $1 million, however, is far beyond a typical souvenir or congratulatory gesture. Even when the intention is harmless, an offer of that size is likely to attract attention from sponsors, lawyers and football officials.
The Rolex giveaway ultimately generated almost as much discussion as SteveWillDoIt’s original bet. The players had already selected their watches and celebrated in front of the cameras before the federation stepped in and reversed the situation.
Mexico’s World Cup campaign ended in the Round of 16, where the team lost 3-2 to England. Thomas Tuchel’s side advanced after an action-packed match, while the returned Rolex watches became one of the more unusual stories surrounding Mexico’s tournament.
Ryan Mitchell is the esports manager at CasinosInCanada who covers competitive gaming events, esports tournaments, and industry trends.
