Big Ev is a polarizing dude. If you spend more than five minutes scrolling through big ev barstool twitter, you already know that. Some people think he’s the heart and soul of the Ohio State fan base at Barstool, while others just want him to log off for a weekend. But honestly? That’s exactly why he’s successful. In the world of sports media, being ignored is a death sentence, and Evan McDowell—better known as Big Ev or the Double Vodka Don—is never, ever ignored.
It’s January 2026, and the landscape of Barstool Sports has shifted a lot since the early days. We’ve seen the company go from a gambling-focused rocket ship to a massive multimedia conglomerate, and Ev has managed to survive the "roster cuts" that have claimed plenty of other personalities. He isn’t just a guy who got catfished into a job anymore; he’s a staple of the college football and gambling vertical.
The Origin Story Everyone Gets Wrong
Most fans know the "catfish" story. It’s legendary at this point. Some Michigan fan pranked a young Evan into flying to NYC for a fake interview. He showed up at the office in a Hawaiian shirt, ready to change his life, only to realize he’d been had.
But here’s the thing: most people think Dave Portnoy hired him out of pity. That’s a total myth. Dave doesn’t do pity hires. He hired Ev because the kid didn't tuck his tail and run when he realized he'd been pranked. He leaned into the absurdity. That’s the Barstool DNA.
Before he was the Double Vodka Don, he was the Viceroy at Ohio State. He took an Instagram account with a couple thousand followers and turned it into a powerhouse with tens of thousands. He was already a content machine; the catfish just gave him the stage.
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The Double Vodka Don Persona
What is it about the name? It sounds like something a frat guy screams before doing something he’ll regret at 2:00 AM. And that’s basically the brand. Big Ev represents the "common man" who loves his Buckeyes, loves a parlay that has no business hitting, and loves a drink.
He’s had his ups and downs with the "brand," though. You’ve probably seen the videos where he’s trying to get healthy, then the videos where he’s definitely not. It’s that transparency—even when it’s messy—that keeps the engagement high on big ev barstool twitter. People feel like they know him because he doesn't hide the losses (physical or financial).
Big Ev Barstool Twitter and the Art of the "Ryde"
If you aren't "Ryding" with the Pick’em crew, are you even a Stoolie? The 2025 season just wrapped up with some of the most chaotic energy we’ve seen in years. The "Final Ryde" for the 2025 season finale on Barstool Pick’em was a masterclass in why Ev stays relevant.
He’s the perfect foil to guys like Rico Bosco. While Rico is a powder keg of "skell" accusations and mysterious absences, Ev is usually the guy trying to keep the vibes afloat—or at least trying to make sure the parlay doesn't die in the first quarter. On Twitter, this translates to a constant stream of:
- Reaction videos that are usually 40% yelling and 60% heartbreak.
- Gambling picks that half the mentions call "locks" and the other half call "donations."
- Buckeye propaganda that makes every Michigan fan on the planet want to mute him.
He’s managed to bridge the gap between the New York and Chicago offices, even when fans were speculating why he didn't move to the Mid-West during the Great Migration a couple of years back.
Dealing with Health and the Haters
Social media can be a toxic wasteland, and Ev gets a lot of it. For a while, people were asking, "What happened to Big Ev's face?" He actually addressed this head-on, revealing he’d been diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy.
Actually, he’s dealt with it twice.
The first time it happened, the internet did what the internet does: they speculated he had a stroke or was "faking it" for content. Imagine having half your face paralyzed and people telling you it's a "bit." He handled it with more grace than most would, continuing to appear on Picks Central and the College Football Show even when he couldn't move his mouth properly. That’s the "grind" mentality he picked up as an intern sleeping on a couch in Brooklyn.
Why He’s More Than Just a Meme
You can’t stay at Barstool for years just by being "the fat guy who likes Ohio State." The competition is too high. Ev has diversified. Whether it's Unnecessary Roughness, Spinnin’ Backfist, or the Barstool College Football Show, he’s proven he actually knows the X’s and O’s.
- Nuanced Sports Takes: He isn’t just screaming. He actually watches the tape. He knows the recruiting classes.
- Gambling Insight: While he’s part of the "mortal" picks crew, his knowledge of the betting lines and how they move is legitimate.
- Relatability: In an era where sports influencers are often too polished, Ev is authentically chaotic.
Honestly, his Twitter feed is a reflection of the average fan's Saturday. High highs when the Buckeyes score, and deep, dark lows when the over doesn't hit.
The 2026 Landscape
As we move through January 2026, Ev is firmly entrenched in the FS1 Wake Up Barstool rotation. Seeing him mix it up with guys like Big Cat, PFT, and even mainstream guys like Jay Glazer shows how far the "Double Vodka Don" has come. He’s no longer the kid in the Hawaiian shirt; he’s a veteran in a room full of heavy hitters.
There’s always talk about who does the "least" at Barstool. You’ll see those Reddit threads every few months. Ev’s name pops up sometimes, usually from people who don't realize how much travel and production goes into the college football season. But the numbers don't lie. His videos still pull six figures in views regularly.
What You Should Actually Do Next
If you’re looking to get the most out of following the Barstool ecosystem, you can’t just follow the main account. The real gold is in the personality feeds.
Follow the specific shows, not just the clips. If you only see Ev in the "Dave Portnoy tees off on Big Ev" clips, you're missing the context. Watch the full episodes of Unnecessary Roughness. You’ll see he’s actually the one keeping the show grounded when the other hosts go off the rails.
Filter the gambling noise. Look, don't tail every pick. That’s a one-way ticket to an empty bank account. But watch how he talks about the games. He’s a great example of how to build a brand around a specific niche (Big Ten football) and dominate it.
Check his "Fat Guy Facts." If you can find the old archives of his "Fat Guy Facts" from his internship days, do it. It’s some of the funniest, most self-aware content the company has ever produced. It’s a reminder that before he was a "personality," he was just a funny dude with a camera and a vision.
Big Ev is going to keep doing exactly what he’s doing: wearing his heart on his sleeve, betting too much on the Buckeyes, and keeping big ev barstool twitter one of the most entertaining corners of the internet. Whether you’re "Ryding" with him or just there to watch the car crash, you’re still watching. And in 2026, that's the only metric that matters.
Actionable Insights for Stoolies:
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- Watch the Live Streams: The best "Big Ev" moments happen during the Saturday College Football live streams. That's where the raw emotion is.
- Check the Podcasts: If you want actual sports analysis, listen to Unnecessary Roughness rather than just watching the 30-second Twitter clips.
- Engage with the "Viceroy" Program: If you're a college student, look at what Ev did at OSU. It's the blueprint for getting a job at a place like Barstool.
The Double Vodka Don isn't going anywhere. He’s survived the catfish, the Bell’s Palsy, and the Michigan trolls. That kind of longevity in the digital age isn't an accident. It's a career.