Tim Howard went undercover as a bartender in a BetMGM video filmed June 18 in Chicago, using a wig and covering tattoos to surprise patrons at Theory Sports Bar. The former U.S. goalkeeper also weighed in on the USMNT’s World Cup momentum and why fans talk bey
Tim Howard walked into a Chicago sports bar wearing a wig and a role that wasn’t his. For the most part, the patrons didn’t know who was shaking down orders and talking soccer.
The video was released June 18 and was made for BetMGM. In it, the former U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper dons the disguise—covering some of his tattoos up and putting on the wig—and serves customers at Theory Sports Bar in Chicago. The filming came ahead of a U.S. vs. Germany friendly that was set to send the men’s side off to the 2026 World Cup.
Howard’s disguising wasn’t just for laughs. When he spoke about the experience in an interview released alongside the promotion, he described how, in character, he “bounced wild soccer ideas” off the bar’s patrons. Instead of treating him like a joke, they responded with steady patience.
“They try and be nice, and they were trying to be like, ‘All right, this guy has no idea what he’s talking about, but, he’s a nice guy, so we’re kind of, we’re gonna go with it,’” Howard said.
He said the surprises didn’t end there. When the conversation turned to the tournament, Howard pointed to how broad the patrons’ soccer knowledge was.
“It’s so vast,” Howard said, describing fans who may say the U.S. is their favorite team while still discussing matchups and players in ways that go far beyond basic rooting.
“People, Americans, (were) talking about, the U.S. is their favorite team but they’re also talking about these intricacies of matchups and certain stars on Spain versus France, or whatever that looks like,” Howard said. “It’s not about your local hometown team, you’re a casual fan supporting that.”
BetMGM leaned into that concept of engagement. Matt Prevost, the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, said Howard’s fame helps translate to content designed to connect with soccer fans.
Prevost called Howard “one of the most recognizable U.S. soccer players in history” and said the spotlight works because Howard’s approach is built for fan interaction. Prevost also said Howard treated the project like a challenge, and once he settled into the disguise, he “really took to it.”
“He loves to engage with fans around the fans’ passion for soccer,” Prevost said. “I think he looked at this as a great challenge and once he got over the idea that he’s in his wig and everything else, he really took to it.”
BetMGM didn’t stop at the undercover video. The company launched Tim Howard’s Penalty Kick Shootout, a daily free-to-play game in the BetMGM Sportsbook app, and also released two mobile casino games.
Howard’s reach doesn’t come only from entertainment. He holds the record for most saves in a World Cup game, and in the same sweep of remarks, he turned to the USMNT’s on-field moment.
When asked about the team’s tournament-opening win against Paraguay, Howard said there were opportunities for the Americans to push the eventual 4-1 score even further. Still, he framed the performance as strong.
“Soccer’s a funny old game,” Howard said. “They had a good lead going into halftime, which then meant, it’s almost human nature to take your foot off the gas.”
With a weeklong break before the team faces Australia, Howard said momentum could carry through as long as the players keep their intensity.
“They’ll be hungry,” Howard said. “They’re almost like a horse. You gotta pull back on the reins ’cause as soon as you let it go, these guys are gonna run.”
For Howard, the thread tying the project together—behind-the-wig conversation in a Chicago bar and a goalkeeper’s read on a tournament—is the same: fans don’t just want to follow a team. They want to talk about it with detail, and they want the sport to feel personal even when the stakes are global.
Tim Howard BetMGM USMNT World Cup 2026 Theory Sports Bar Chicago World Cup Paraguay 4-1 Tim Howard’s Penalty Kick Shootout Matt Prevost
Why is he dressed like that, BetMGM or something? lol