Shocking Bet Live On Air: Fox Anchor Predicts Dow Will Soar To 50,000 Despite Market Crash — Co-Anchor Refuses The Challenge

In a surprising and bold moment on live television, Fox News anchor John Roberts stunned viewers when he offered a $1 bet to co-anchor Sandra Smith — predicting that the Dow Jones Industrial Average would skyrocket to 50,000 points or higher within a year, despite the stock market’s sharp downturn fueled by former President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policy.

The dramatic exchange happened during Thursday’s broadcast of America Reports, as Wall Street reeled from Trump’s newly announced sweeping tariffs, which sent stock futures into freefall and triggered a brutal market drop when the opening bell rang.

While many were panicking over the financial chaos, Roberts remained unusually calm — even philosophical — about the volatility.

After Fox’s Senior White House Correspondent Peter Doocy reported that the Trump administration was unfazed by the market plunge, Roberts confidently doubled down on his long-term optimism.

“The market goes up, the market goes down — it always has, it likely always will,” Roberts said.

Smith, however, quickly pushed back, highlighting that real people with 401(k)s could suffer significant losses if forced to sell during a downturn.

That’s when Roberts went all-in — literally.

“I got a dollar. I’m a big wagerer,” Roberts declared, holding up a single bill.

“I’ve got a $1 that this time next year the Dow will be 50,000 or above.”

Smith, clearly caught off guard by the bold prediction, laughed but refused to take the bet.

“I will not bet against you or with you,” she replied, noting that while markets historically recover, timing is everything for investors facing near-term financial pressures.

Roberts remained unfazed. “Historically, it does only go up,” he added, reinforcing his long-term faith in the stock market’s resilience.

The audacious wager instantly lit up social media, with viewers split between admiring Roberts’ confidence and mocking the seemingly far-fetched prediction amid one of the most turbulent market periods in recent history.

Whether Roberts’ $1 bet will become legendary or laughable remains to be seen — but one thing is certain: Wall Street — and America — will be watching.

Watch the full exchange via Fox News Channel’s America Reports.