We continue the the list of some of the largest sports betting wins of all time:
9. Darren Yates – £550,000 on a £62 bet
Darren Yates placed a fantastic bet in 1996 that would see him become a big name in horse racing. The great win, often referred to as the ‘magnificent seven’, took place when Yates successfully wagered £62 on jockey Frankie Dettorri winning all seven of his rides on that day at Ascot.
8. Anonymous punter – £585,000 on an £0.80 bet
In November 2011, an anonymous punter from Malta bet 80 pence through William Hill on a 19-match accumulator with odds of 683,738/1. All predictions were correct and ended with Liverpool scoring a winning goal in the last few minutes before closing, beating Chelsea and earning this punter a win he’ll never forget.
7. Charles Barkley – $800,000 on a $500,000 bet
NBA Champion Charles Barkley boasts an easily remembered name in sports betting. He was not new to big wins, but the greatest of all took place when he wagered on the New England Patriots winning the Super Bowl – which was thought to be unlikely at that time, given that they were a 14-point underdog against the St. Louis Rams in 2002. Upon their win, which would be Tom Brady’s first of many, Barkley gained a monumental $800,000 (about £608,000).
6. James Adducci – $1.2 million on an $85,000 bet
James Adducci’s bet on Tiger Woods is one that will go down in history as a bold, yet highly rewarding move. Woods’ 2019 Masters Victory was his first key championship win in 11 years, and choosing to bet $85,000 on a golfer who had not won a championship in that long sounds incredibly risky to most of us! Adducci certainly knew what he was doing, though – as his brave initiative paid off, bringing in $1.2 million (about £760,000) and breaking William Hill’s record for the largest ever individual payout on a futures bet.
5. Mike Futter – £800,000 on betting his own horse
Mike Futter’s name isn’t unheard of in the betting industry – but this one major win increased his recognition tenfold. In 2003, Futter gambled his own horse: Monty’s Pass. The horse did not let him down, and Fetter was awarded £348,000 for being Monty’s Pass owner, and then over an additional £400,000 for successfully betting on his horse from 40/1 down to 16/1 odds. “I’ve had some fantastic bets and fantastic days but this is one I will never forget,” said a delighted Futter.
4. Fred Craggs – £1 million on a £0.50 bet
Fred Craggs, a 60-year-old fertiliser salesman from Yorkshire, one day placed a bet that would change his life and allow him to be remembered as one of the most renowned names in sports betting. Craggs wagered a mere 50 pence on an eight-fold accumulator, making smart choices on horse races around the globe, and received a whopping seven-figure amount in return. Funnily enough, Craggs wasn’t even aware of his win until returning to the bookmaker for another hand at gambling – and he would have earned a total of £1.4 million, if only he had chosen a no-limit bet. Still not too bad of a prize, right?
3. Steve Whiteley – £1.5 million on a £2 bet
Steve Whiteley, a 61-year-old heating engineer, enjoyed a truly successful bet in 2011, when he made use of a free ticket to enjoy the horse races and placed a £2 bet. Whiteley correctly chose the six horses on that day, one of which had lost in all of its 28 races in the past, and benefited from £1.5 million.
2. Vegas Dave – $2.5 million on a $140,000 bet
Do you remember when we wrote of Dave Oancea and his record-breaking 2015? His second successful win happened one week into the 2015 MLB season, when Oancea bet on the Kansas City Royals to win the World Series at 30/1 odds. His $140,000 bet required quite the effort, after having to be split across 15 different casinos as they wouldn’t take on his liability. In fact, many presumed him crazy for the risk he was about to take but it ultimately paid off, with the Kansas City Royals defeating the New York Mets. Oancea enjoyed a $2.5 million prize (about £1.9 million).
1. Billy Walters – a successful $3.5 million bet
We’re concluding our list with Billy Walters and his massive win seen in 2010, when the New Orleans Saints played against the Indianapolis Colts at the Super Bowl XLIV. Walters began his journey in gambling through playing poker, prior to taking on sports betting. He has successfully earned gigantic figures and is known for a record-breaking winning streak, which verifies that sports betting is not simply for the fortunate, but does indeed require skill. After some careful consideration, Walter placed a successful $3.5 million (about £2.7 million) bet on the New Orleans Saints, who were also the underdogs. They won their first ever Super Bowl against the Colts by 31-17.