In the world of sports betting, every bettor dreams of that one monumental win, the kind that not only fills their pockets but also etches their name into the annals of betting folklore. From underdog triumphs to nail-biting comebacks, these unforgettable moments captivate the imagination and inspire bettors around the globe.
This article covers some of the biggest, most memorable sports betting scores of all time. Get ready for tales of shrewd handicappers, gutsy gamblers, and more money than you can possibly imagine. From life-changing payouts to bets that made history, you’ll read about the savviest of sports bettors who walked away with truly staggering sums.
$500k Super Bowl Bet
The story behind one of the largest Super Bowl bets happened in 1995 when a man named Mickelson walked into a Las Vegas sportsbook and placed a $500,000 bet on the San Francisco 49ers. At the time, the 49ers were 18-point favorites against the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX.
Despite the heavy odds, Mickelson was confident enough to risk half a million dollars that the 49ers would cover the spread. As game day approached, there was a lot of buzz building around the bold bet. Many were skeptical that San Francisco could win by such a large margin.
As it turned out, Mickelson’s gamble paid off handsomely. The 49ers dominated the Chargers 49-26, easily covering the 18-point spread. When the game ended, Mickelson walked away with a $500,000 profit from his massive bet. Those in the sportsbook were stunned when he casually collected his payout.
The risks and rewards of sports betting were never more apparent. Mickelson will forever be remembered for one of the boldest and most successful Super Bowl bets of all time. His $500k wager showed that anything can happen when you combine big money, gut instinct, and a little bit of luck.
$1.5 Million on Tiger Woods
In 1997, an anonymous golf enthusiast placed a $1.5 million bet on 21-year-old Tiger Woods to win the Masters Tournament. At the time, Woods had only played as a professional for a year and the odds of him winning were 40-1.
The bold bettor, later revealed to be J.W. Cannon, placed the wager through a chain of bookies that eventually reached Las Vegas. Cannon was a family friend of Woods and believed the young golfer was about to make history.
Most sportsbooks thought the odds were very generous for such an inexperienced player. But Woods had already won two tournaments earlier in the year and had immense talent.
When Woods won the Masters in record fashion, shooting 18 under par, Cannon collected a total payout of $1.65 million including the $150,000 original stake.
Bookmakers were shocked at the result, with some losing over $1 million on the event. Cannon’s early faith in Woods winning a major paid off hugely.
The high-roller bet remains one of the largest and most famous in golf history. Woods went on to become a 15-time major champion and all-time great. But it was Cannon who first profited enormously from predicting Tiger’s breakthrough major victory.
$3.5 Million on the Denver Broncos
In January 2014, an anonymous bettor placed a $3.5 million bet on the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII against the Seattle Seahawks. At the time, it was the largest Super Bowl bet ever made in Nevada. The bettor placed the wager through William Hill sportsbook at odds of -2.5, meaning the Broncos were favored by 2.5 points.
If the Broncos won or lost by less than 3 points, the bettor would win $3 million plus the original $3.5 million wager back. However, the Seahawks dominated the game and won 43-8 in one of the biggest Super Bowl blowouts ever. The bettor lost the entire $3.5 million wager.
“It’s the Super Bowl. You want to bet more on it to make it exciting,” the bettor told ESPN after the loss. “I don’t mind taking the chance.”
Despite the huge loss, William Hill praised the bettor for his spirit. “It goes without saying that we lost a lot of money on the game, but the customer was a complete gentleman throughout and very gracious in defeat,” said William Hill CEO Joe Asher. “We’d welcome his action again.”
The $3.5 million bet demonstrated the willingness of high rollers to place massive wagers on the Super Bowl, regardless of the odds or matchup. Though this bettor went home empty-handed, the lure of hitting it big continues to draw bold bettors willing to risk millions on sports’ biggest stage.
$10 Million Win on the St. Louis Rams
In 2000, an anonymous bettor walked into a Las Vegas sportsbook and placed a $5 million bet on the St. Louis Rams to win the Super Bowl at odds of 2/1. It was the largest Super Bowl bet ever made at the time.
The bettor was so confident that he didn’t even bother negotiating or shopping around for better odds. The Rams were favorites over the Tennessee Titans, having steamrolled opponents all season behind their “Greatest Show on Turf” offense led by Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk.
When the Rams defeated the Titans 23-16, the bettor collected an incredible $10 million payout. The sportsbooks took a big loss but honored the bet.
Reaction was mixed – some viewed the bettor as crazy and reckless. Others saw it as a ballsy move that paid off. The bettor’s identity was never revealed, adding to the mystique and legend surrounding the $10 million Super Bowl score.
$45 Million Payout from William Hill
In 2012, an anonymous British bettor placed a series of bets on horses with the UK bookmaker William Hill. The bettor staked an initial £50,000 and thanks to a run of winners with starting odds between 4/6 and 20/1, ran his account up to £1 million.
Emboldened, the bettor requested that William Hill allow him to wager the full £1 million on a 20/1 longshot in a horserace at Ascot. William Hill agreed, likely believing there was no way the bet would win. However, in one of the most improbable gambling wins of all time, the 20/1 shot did win, netting the bettor a staggering £20 million payout.
Still on his hot streak, the bettor continued betting large sums over the following weeks, winning several more longshot wagers between 10/1 to 16/1 odds. When all was said and done, the anonymous bettor walked away with a total payout of over £45 million from William Hill – the largest payout the bookmaker had ever made.
William Hill was reeling and speculated the man must have had inside information to win so many longshot bets in succession. But an internal investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing. He was simply an incredibly lucky bettor who had the run of a lifetime at exactly the right time.
Billy Walters’ Run of Huge Wins
Billy Walters is considered one of the most successful sports bettors of all time. He has parlayed his extensive knowledge of statistics and sports analytics into a multi-decade run of massive payouts from bookmakers.
Walters got his start in the 1980s, when he began using computer models to analyze sports data and identify advantageous betting opportunities. His approaches were extremely profitable and allowed him to quickly amass a fortune from betting.
Some of Walters’ most legendary wins include:
- In 1986, he bet on the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXI against the Denver Broncos. The Cowboys were early underdogs but Walters’ models predicted a Dallas victory. He bet $3.5 million on the Cowboys, who ended up crushing the Broncos 27-10. His payout was a staggering $7 million.
- In 2000, Walters bet big on the St. Louis Rams to win the Super Bowl over the Tennessee Titans. He wagered $10 million on the Rams at odds of 13/10. When the Rams secured the championship in a thrilling last-second finish, Walters collected an incredible $19 million.
- Over the course of the 1990s, Walters consistently won bets of $1 million or more on major events like the Super Bowl and NCAA basketball tournament. His total winnings during the decade are estimated to be well over $100 million.
Walters’ combination of data-driven research, gut instinct, and fearless betting produced some of the biggest payouts the sports gambling world has ever seen. His record of success has cemented his legacy as one of the sharpest sports bettors of all time.
Anonymous Bettor Wins $1.2 Million on the Masters
In 2019, an anonymous bettor placed an $85,000 wager on Tiger Woods to win the Masters at 14-1 odds. This bet ended up paying out a massive $1.2 million when Woods captured his fifth green jacket and 15th major championship title in dramatic fashion.
The bet was placed at a William Hill sportsbook in Las Vegas prior to the start of the tournament. At the time, Woods was coming off a remarkable comeback season but was still a longshot to win at Augusta National given his age and history of back injuries. However, the bettor had a strong conviction that Woods would recapture his glory days and earn his first major win in over a decade.
As the final round unfolded on April 14, Woods steadily climbed up the leaderboard while players like Francesco Molinari faltered. He finally broke free of the pack on the back nine to earn his comeback victory as the bettor watched in delight. The 14-1 odds looked prescient in retrospect, but were no sure thing at the time the bet was placed before the tournament began.
When Woods sank his final putt, the anonymous bettor collected a staggering $1.2 million payout on an $85,000 wager. It demonstrated the immense rewards in play for bold bettors in major championships. Woods’ comeback victory delivered this particular bettor a massive windfall and one of the biggest payouts in golf betting history.
In sum, while most bettors will never experience wins of this magnitude, these epic tales serve as inspiration to continue striving for that ever-elusive massive score. With the right research, timing, and luck, any bettor can potentially land their own historic sports betting victory. The opportunity is always there waiting, you just have to be willing to take the risk and bet big to win big.