We all dream about it because we carefully select the odds, pick our staff, set wagers, and see bated breath. Since the final whistle blows, we emphasise it also signals that the win of a lifetime. Would not that be something?
For many lucky bettors, it’s more than just a sweet sports betting dream. We take a look at some of the most well-known and greatest wins in sports gambling history.
Grandpa Makes a Bet to Beat Them All
Football is the UK’s hottest game by much, and if Harry Wilson was born, grandfather Peter Edward was convinced the boy was destined for glory on the pitch.
So sure in fact that, in 2000 (when Harry was still a toddler), Mr. Edwards went to the bookmakers and put a #50 wager (roughly $67) that the boy could play for Wales, his national group. The odds were a bit of a long shot 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 seat for Wales. In the 87th minute of the World Cup qualifier against Belgium, Harry was pulled in as a substitute for Hal Robson-Kanu.
Harry not only broke the record to become the youngest player to represent his nation on the pitch, but he also left his grandfather a rich man. The 13-year-old bet won his grandfather a clear sum of 150,000.
A Fast and Furious Future Bet
In 1998 Richard Hopkins had a similar foresight when he had been observing his son, Evan, race a young Lewis Hamilton in a go-karting track. Convinced the youthful Hamilton had a speedy future ahead of him, Hopkins placed three different 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 a further #100 bet he could be World Champion by 25. Hopkins was so certain of his predictions, he placed an extra third wager of #50 that Hamilton would 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 place in the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2008, at 24. This meant that Hopkins’ third bet bagged him another #75,000.
All of Mayweather’s Sports Bets
The most infamous sports bettor now is boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather. Famous because of his enormous sports bets, he has 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 conclusion of the 4th quarter, Mayweather gathered 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 with a 7.5 point spread. A touchdown from the Broncos put them up by 14, clear of the vital 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 sports betting would be complete without mentioning Billy Walters. Before Billy Walters had been given his 5-year prison sentence and a $10 million fine for insider trading, Billy was the most infamous sports bettor of all time. His big stakes were feared from the sportsbooks he was banned from wagering.
Among the most impressive bets was around 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 as the favorites. He travelled with it, and it paid off. Nobody knows how much Walter raked in precisely, but we are pretty sure it was a hefty sum!
Charles Barkley’s Super Bowl Win
Taking his seat in the game gambling hall of fame is the NBA legend turned into sports announcer, Charles Barkley. While he is best-known for his betting losses (reportedly totaling almost $30 million), it was his big win following the Super Bowl 36 that caused quite a stir.
By wagering half a million around the underdog New England Patriots to beat St. Louis Rams, and a further $50,000 on the moneyline, Barkley won both bets.
The controversy arose in the little fact that Barkley did not have enough credit in the Mandalay Bay sportsbook to pay the bet, and hadn’t signed a marker. Of course, 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 that the hero (or even the envy) of your gaming friends? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
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