The most newsworthy sports betting wins
When it comes to betting on sports, all the effort put into the research and understanding pays off when we win, more so when we have one of the most impressive wins in history. With every game and blow of the whistle, we anticipate the announcement that we’ve won.
For some, this remains merely a dream, while for a lucky few, they make headlines and take the world by storm. Let’s look at some of the most impressive wins to make headlines.
5 newsworthy sports bets
A future bet to rule them all
UK soccer player Harry Wilson was destined for greatness, and his grandfather knew it from the beginning. So much so that when Harry was a toddler, he placed a bet of £50 that he would play for Wales. The odds were 2 500 – 1, but that didn’t put him off. In 2013 during the World Cup qualifiers, Harry was benched for Wales. 87 minutes into the game, he was called onto the field. Not only did he break the record for being the youngest person to represent the country, but he also won his grandfather £150 000 in the process.
The triple threat future bet
Richard Hopkins saw potential in one of his son’s friends, Lewis Hamilton. In 1998, he placed three future bets on Hamilton, the first £200 that he would win the Formula win before turning 23. The second was a £100 bet that he would become the world champion before 25 and the third bet of £50 was that he would achieve them both. The bets won him £40,000, £50,000 and £75,000 respectively.
Floyd Mayweather’s sport’s betting habits
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is a notorious gambler. He’s known to spend a ton on sports bets and reap the impressive rewards. In 2014, he bet $815,000 on the Denver Broncos when they faced off against the New York Jets. It paid off and he won $1.4 million!
Insider trading for the win
We couldn’t have a list of newsworthy wins without Billy Walters. He had quite the winning reputation and as a result, was banned from wagering. This was of course before he was arrested for insider trading and sentenced to 5 years in prison, in addition to a $10 million fine. One of his most famous bets took place during the 2010 Super Bowl. He bet $3.5million that New Orleans Saints would beat the Indianapolis Colts. While the colts seemed to be unbeatable to the rest of the world, Billy’s research found them to be the favourites. IT paid off and he won big, although the exact amount remains a mystery.
Charles Barkley finally wins
NBA star turned sports commentator Charles Barkley is famous for betting – and losing. It’s believed that his total losses amount to almost $30 million. So, when he won after the Super Bowl 36 people were bound to ask questions. He bet $500 000 that the New England Patriots would beat favourites St. Louis Rams in addition to $50 000 on Moneyline bets. He won both bets. Questions started flying when it was revealed that he didn’t have enough credit to cover the bet and he also didn’t sign a marker. As you can imagine, the sportsbook was reluctant to payout, but they eventually did, and Barkley walked away with $800,000.
There’s no real recipe for newsworthy success
For some, winning big was a result of a gut feeling and a whole lot of patience, while for others, it was a matter of putting your money where your mouth is. Regardless of how it happened, they made it work.