We all dream about it as we carefully pick the odds, select our team, place wagers, and see bated breath. As the final whistle blows, we fantasize that it also signals that the win of a lifetime. Wouldn’t that be something?
For many lucky bettors, it’s more than just a sweet sports betting dream. We take a peek at some of the most famous and greatest wins in sports betting history.
Grandpa Makes a Bet to Beat Them All
Football is the UK’s most popular sport by much, and if Harry Wilson was born, grandfather Peter Edward was sure the boy was destined for glory on the pitch.
So sure in fact , in 2000 (when Harry was a toddler), Mr. Edwards went to the bookmakers and put a #50 wager (roughly $67) the boy could play for Wales, his national group. The odds were a small long shot at 2,500-1, but he was sure it would pay off.
Fast forward to October 15th, 2013, and 16-year-old Harry was sitting on the bench for Wales. In the 87th minute of the World Cup qualifier against Belgium, Harry was pulled in as a replacement for Hal Robson-Kanu.
Harry not only broke the record to become the youngest player to represent his country on the pitch, but he also left his grandfather a wealthy man. The 13-year-old bet won his grandfather a tidy sum of 150,000.
A Quick and Furious Future Bet
In 1998 Richard Hopkins had a comparable foresight when he was observing his son, Evan, race a youthful Lewis Hamilton at a go-karting track. Convinced the youthful Hamilton had a fast future ahead of him, Hopkins placed three separate bets on the climbing racing star.
The first was a #200 ($270) bet that Hamilton would acquire the Formula 1 before he turned 23, and also a further #100 bet he would be World Champion by 25. Hopkins was certain of his predictions, he put an additional third bet of #50 that Hamilton could attain both.
Hamilton made Hopkins #40,000 wealthier when he won the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007 at age 22, and 50,000 wealthier when he clinched first spot in the Brazilian Grand Prix at 2008, in 24. This meant that Hopkins’ third wager bagged him another #75,000.
All Mayweather’s Sports Bets
The most infamous sports bettor today is boxing legend Floyd Mayweather. Famous because of his massive sports stakes, he’s been known to reap countless thousands (sometimes even millions of dollars) on single events. Since the highest paid sports star of all time, he has plenty of spare money to play with.
At the end of the 4th quarter, Mayweather collected a cool $1.4 million!
His biggest bet so far was in 2014, when he bet a whopping $815,000 about the Denver Broncos to beat the New York Jets by a 7.5 point spread. A touchdown by the Broncos put them up by 14, clear of the necessary points. At the conclusion of the 4th quarter, Mayweather gathered a cool $1.4 million!
The Legend That Is Billy Walters
No listing of extremes in sport betting would be complete without mentioning Billy Walters. Before Billy Walters had been awarded his 5-year prison sentence and a $10 million fine for insider trading, Billy was the most infamous sports bettor of all time. His enormous bets were so feared by the sportsbooks that he was banned from wagering.
Among the most remarkable bets was on the 2010 Super Bowl, when he put down $3.5million on New Orleans Saints to beat the Indianapolis Colts. The Saints were the underdogs going into the game with the Colts looking unbeatable, but Billy’s figures and stats all pointed to the Saints since the favorites. He travelled with it, and it paid off. Nobody knows how much Walter raked in precisely, but we’re pretty sure that it was a hefty sum!
Charles Barkley’s Super Bowl Win
Taking his seat in the game betting hall of fame is the NBA legend turned into sports announcer, Charles Barkley. While he is best-known because of his betting losses (reportedly totaling almost $30 million), it was his big win after the Super Bowl 36 that caused quite a stir.
By wagering half a million on the underdog New England Patriots to beat St. Louis Rams, plus a further $50,000 on the moneyline, Barkley won the two bets.
The controversy arose in the little fact that Barkley didn’t have sufficient credit in the Mandalay Bay sportsbook to pay the wager, and hadn’t signed a marker. Obviously, that the sportsbook were reluctant to pay out, but finally gave in and Barkley banked his $800,000 win.
What is Your Biggest Win?
Ever make a wager that made you the hero (or even the jealousy ) of your gaming friends? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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