The Most Unbelievable Sports Betting Wins Ever

We all dream about it because we carefully pick the odds, select our team, place wagers, and see bated breath. Since the final whistle blows, we fantasize that it also signals the triumph of a life. Would not that be something?
For some lucky bettors, it is more than just a sweet sports betting dream. We take a look at a few of the most famous and greatest wins in sports gambling history.
Grandpa Makes a Future Bet to Beat Them All
Soccer is the UK’s most popular game 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 that, in 2000 (when Harry was a toddler), Mr. Edwards went to the bookmakers and placed a #50 wager (about $67) that the boy could play Wales, his national group. The chances were a bit of a long shot 2,500-1, but he was certain 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 this 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 nation on the pitch, but he also made his grandfather a wealthy man. The 13-year-old wager won his grandfather a clear sum of #150,000.
A Fast and Furious Future Bet
In 1998 Richard Hopkins had a comparable foresight when he had been watching his son, Evan, race a youthful Lewis Hamilton in a go-karting track. Convinced the young Hamilton had a speedy future ahead of him, Hopkins placed three separate bets on the climbing racing celebrity.
The first was a #200 ($270) wager that Hamilton would acquire the Formula 1 before he turned 23, and also a further #100 wager he would be World Champion by 25. Hopkins was so certain of his predictions, that he put an extra third wager of #50 that Hamilton could attain both.
Hamilton made Hopkins #40,000 richer when he won the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007 at age 22, and #50,000 richer when he clinched first place from the Brazilian Grand Prix at 2008, in 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. Renowned for his massive sports stakes, he has been known to reap hundreds of thousands (sometimes even millions of dollars) on single occasions. As the highest paid sports star of all time, he’s got lots of spare money to play .
In 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 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’s Billy Walters
No listing of extremes in sports betting would be complete without mentioning Billy Walters. Before Billy Walters was given his 5-year prison sentence and a $10 million fine to insider trading, Billy was the most infamous sports bettor of all time. His enormous bets were feared from the sportsbooks he was banned from wagering.
One of the most impressive 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 entering the match with the Colts looking unbeatable, but Billy’s stats and figures all pointed to the Saints since the favorites. He travelled , and it paid off. No one knows just how much Walter raked in exactly, but we are pretty sure that it was a hefty sum!
Charles Barkley’s Super Bowl Win
Taking his seat in the sport betting hall of fame is the NBA legend turned sports announcer, Charles Barkley. While he is best-known for his betting losses (reportedly totaling nearly $30 million), it had been his big win after 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, plus a further $50,000 on the moneyline, Barkley won the two stakes.
The controversy arose in the small fact that Barkley didn’t have sufficient credit in the Mandalay Bay sportsbook to pay the bet, and had not signed a mark. Of course, the sportsbook were loath to pay out, but eventually gave in and Barkley banked his $800,000 win.
What’s Your Biggest Win?
Ever make a wager that made you that the protagonist (or the envy) of your betting buddies? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

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