Craziest Bets And Odds: The Biggest Upsets In Sports History

As Haralabos Voulgaris said, "Betting on sports is not about being right all the time — it’s about being right more than the odds suggest you will be." 

The unpredictability in sports betting has created some of the most unbelievable wins in betting history. From football to the Winter Olympics, sportsbooks have witnessed some of the biggest upsets in sports history, paying massive amounts to lucky punters. 

The stories you'll see in this article prove that just about anything can happen in sports betting. With the right betting company and enough conviction, you can also win millions as a Ugandan bettor. Don't believe it yet? Our expert punter and sports betting analyst, Kate Richardson, has compiled a list of the craziest bets, wins, and upsets in the history of sports.

1. Leicester City in 2016
2. The St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.
3. Douglas vs. Tyson in 1999.
4. St. Louis Rams in 1999.
5. Paul Hornung in 1961.
6. US Hockey in 1980.
7. Mine That Bird in 2009

2016 Premier League: Leicester City Win

One of the greatest upsets in football history, still being talked about to date, is Leicester City's win of the EPL in 2016. Virtually nobody was expecting the underdogs to win the title, and it reflected in the odds at the beginning of the season. 

The teams were given odds of 5000/1, meaning for every one dollar anyone wagered, they'd get back $5,000. Ideally, no one should wager on these odds to win the Premier League, but a group of Leicester fans did anyway. 

One of the fans even placed twenty-five different wagers on the team to win the league, and all of the wagers won. The underdog's success gave the lucky punter a total of £100,000 in wins. This win, under their former head coach Claudio Ranieri, is probably the greatest upset ever that made just a few crazy believers quite wealthy.

2011 World Series Win: St. Louis Cardinals at 999-1

St. Louis Cardinals pulled one of the biggest longshot wins in 2011, winning the World Series at odds of 999-1. They had fifteen games to the end of the season and were 4.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves to earn the National League wild card spot. In a fortunate turn of events for the Cardinals, the Atlanta Braves faltered. 

This spurred the Cardinals to win eleven out of the fifteen games, winning the series over the Texas Rangers. It remains one of the unforgettable upsets in baseball history, and a few punters were lucky to wager on it.

1990 Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson

In 1990, Mike Tyson 1990 was already a legend with a winning streak of 37-0, of which 33 were knockouts. He was to face Buster Douglas, an undecorated boxer, who, by the looks of it, was probably not going to last three rounds. The odds of Buster beating Tyson and doing it by knockout were almost non-existent. 

But this knockout did happen, and it changed Tyson as a boxer forever. The fight went as far as the tenth round, where Buster made history by delivering a KO against the boxing legend. It's one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, but nobody talks about Buster anymore. Why? He lost his next fight to Evander Holyfield.

St. Louis Rams Win Super Bowl at 300-1 In 1999

Kurt Warner took over as the quarterback in a terrible season for the St. Louis Rams, and the rest was history. The odds for the team to win the Super Bowl were 300 - 1. Not only were they one of the biggest pre-season longshots to win it all, they were also beaten down by the media throughout the tournament. However, they shocked the world to win the Super Bowl, going down as one of the most legendary teams to ever do it.

Paul Hornung $500 Bets On NFL and NCAA Tournaments

Paul Hornung was a celebrity NFL player, revered by fans and professionals in the sports world. However, he loved gambling and did the one thing that was unpardonable — bet on the league he was playing in. 

Hornung wagered on the national championship and also in college football. He was found to bet $500 on games from 1959 to 1961, and was banned from the 1963 season. However, the Heisman Trophy winner and 1961 MVP was reinstated in 1964. He went on to become a Hall of Famer in pro football.

This story highlights the importance of ethics and transparency in the world of betting. For Ugandan players interested in sports betting, it is important to take a risk-conscious approach and choose platforms that adhere to fair play standards. By examining the list of betting companies in Uganda, it is possible to find licensed services that focus on user safety and compliance with local regulations. 

This is especially relevant in an emerging market where it is important for players to make decisions based on verified information and expert judgment.

Miracle On Ice: 1980 Winter Olympics with the US Hockey Team at 1000-1

If you don't believe miracles can happen in gambling, this story might just change your mind. It starts off with US college kids making up the US hockey team and competing at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. 

These college players were facing the best teams from around the world, and were placed at odds of 1000-1 to win Gold. Through hard work and determination, the underdog team pulled off the unexpected by winning gold in the tournament. 

2009 Kentucky Derby Winner: Mine That Bird at 50-1

Horse racing is one of the biggest sports with thrill, especially when wagering on derbies. In 2009, at the Kentucky Derby, there was a horse named Mine That Bird. Aside from the funny name, it had no unique bloodline, nor did it have testicles. The odds of it winning the derby were at 50-1. At the time, the gelding was worth $9,500, but soon amassed over $2.2 million in winnings after the race. The horse went on to have an impressive career in racing.

Conclusion

Popular and niche sports see upsets in virtually all tournaments, but some are simply unforgettable. There are many more upsets, from the NBA to golf, but the above are some of the most remarkable. 

As Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” 

More bizarre events are bound to happen in the sports world, and you can position yourself to wager on them by following our insights and tips.

The article was provided by Kate Richardson