5 Unbelievable Sports Betting Wins
Though you are drawn to a sports betting site or an online casino HU for the thrill of the pursuit, what keeps you glued is the chance to win. And, of course, you win some amount every now and then and stay hooked. But you expect to win maybe a few dollars – hundreds at the most. Then, there are lucky punters who have earned millions. These are players on whom the lady luck showered all her blessings on one fateful day. Excited to know more about them? Read on to know all the details!
Top Five Biggest Wins in Sport Betting
Over the years, the world of sports betting has seen some major and unsuspecting wins. But none has been able to beat the numbers earned by these five players:
- Billy Walters
- Vegas Dave
- Steve Whiteley
- Fred Craggs
- Mike Futter
#1 Billy Walters
- Bet: $3.5 million
- Won: Unknown
Billy Walters and his 2010 win still remain the stuff of legends in the world of sports betting. It was the Super Bowl XLIV match between the Indianapolis Colts (favorites) and New Orleans Saints (underdogs). Walters’ bet on the underdogs paid off as they won their first Super Bowl ever.
Now, Walters was no newbie in the world of betting. He started off by playing poker before venturing into sports betting. Also, this isn’t his only major win, though it is surely the largest. His unbreakable winning streak is also proof that sports betting is as much about skills and knowledge as it is about luck.
#2 Dave Oancea
- Bet: $140,000
- Won: $2.5 million
Fondly known as Vegas Dave, this wasn’t his first rodeo at a record-breaking win. In fact, it was his second major win within the same year. As a matter of fact, within one week!
Placing the $140,000 bet wasn’t that easy as well. He had to split his bet across fifteen casinos because none of them were ready to take on such a huge liability. It is understandable because, at 30/1, the odds were stacked high against the Kansas City Royals in the World Series 2015. People tagged him crazy because of risking so much on the bet. But the Royals certainly didn’t disappoint him as they defeated the New York Mets in a close match.
#3 Steve Whiteley
- Bet: $2
- Won: $1.5 million
What sets Whiteley apart from the top two names on the list is that he was never a seasoned bettor. As such, he was not someone who studied races regularly or made in-depth calculations to bet on the horses. He was there merely to have fun and watch the races!
Whiteley, a 61-year-old engineer, got a free ticket to the races and put up a $2 bet on six horses to win $1.5 million. In fact, one of his chosen horses had not won any race in the last 28 attempts. If this was a list for the cheapest stakes, Whiteley would have a higher position.
#4 Fred Craggs
- Bet: £0.50
- Won: £1 million
In another incident of stakes being as cheap as ever, Craggs wagered 50 pence to win £1 million on a difficult eight-fold accumulator. The 60-year-old salesman will always be a renowned name in the betting world thanks to his win.
Funnily, he had no clue about his mega win until he went back to the bookmaker to place another round of bets. His only regret? He could have won £1.4 million if only it was a no-limits bet!
#5 Mike Futter
- Bet: His own horse
- Won: £800,000
If you don’t show enough confidence in your own horse, who else will? Well, this might have been playing on his mind as he decided to bet on his favorite horse – Monty’s Pass. Futter was already a known name in the betting world due to his previous wins. However, this one certainly surpassed all wins that came before or after.
In 2003, Futter won a whopping £348,000 as he was Monty’s owner. Then, he won £400,000 more for successfully betting on the horse when the odds were at 40/1.
Other honorary mentions
Though the following names did not make it to the top five, their victories are no less praiseworthy. From betting the cheapest stakes to winning through calculated moves, these five names have done it all:
- James Adducci (Won: $1.2 million, Bet: $85,000)
- Charles Barkley (Won: $800,000, Bet: $500,000)
- Anonymous punter (Won: £585,000, Bet: £0.80)
- Darren Yates (Won: £550,000, Bet: £62)
- Mick Gibbs (Won: £500,000, Bet: £0.30)
The Final Note
The important thing to remember here is that none of these players knew that they were going to win that day. They tried their luck – and a bit of their knowledge – to win big on a particular day. So, keep betting, and maybe you can be on a list like this someday. The key is to be persistent at it. At the same time, you will have to apply skills and knowledge to your betting choices.
