The popularity of sports betting is at its peak with players from all around the world placing bets on their favourite sports. Some like to try out their luck with smaller amounts while others tend to include bigger risks and increase their stakes.
Regardless of the style of betting, each punter has a chance of winning some money. However, the ones that we remember are of course the larger amounts we win. As such, in this article, we will reveal the largest wins in sports betting history.
6. Mike Futter – Betting His Own Horse Got Him a Staggering £800,000
We begin with Mike Futter, a well-known name in the sports betting industry. In 2003, this punter placed a bet on his very own horse called Manty’s Pass.
In the end, the horse managed to win the race, which brought Futter £348,000 as the owner. As for the bet, this massive win got him an additional £400,000. For this amazing bet, Futter said that he will never forget this day, despite having some fantastic bets over the years.
5. James Adducci – A Large Stake Made Him a Millionaire
One of the boldest bets in sports betting history must be the one James Adducci placed on Tiger Woods. Yet, this one was a highly rewarding decision for the 2019 Masters, as Woods ended up winning the tournament. At the time, it was the golfer’s first major championship in 11 years.
Now, Adducci made a bold move and placed an £85,000 bet on a golfer who hadn’t won anything for a long time. And he didn’t do it with any betting promotions, as this was his real money.
But, it seems like the punter knew what he was doing as his brave betting decision paid off. It brought him a staggering £1.2 million.
4. Fred Craggs – Winning £1 Million With a £0.50 Bet
Next, we have a betting moment that every punter tried at least once in their lifetime. A 60-year-old gentleman from Yorkshire named Fred Craggs one day decided to place a £0.50 sports bet. Little did he know, this bet would put his name into the sports betting history books.
He placed the 50 pence on an 8-fold accumulator containing horse races from all around the globe. His smart betting choices got him £1 million. The best thing is that he wasn’t even aware that he won until he returned to the bookmaker to place another bet.
3. Steve Whiteley – Betting £2 for a Hefty Win of £1.5 Million
Here’s another movie-like betting story. This one concerns Steve Whiteley, a 61-year-old heating engineer who had luck on his side back in 2011.
This bettor went to a horse racing event with a free ticket and decided to place a £2 bet. For his bet slip, he chose 6 horses, one of which managed to lose all of his 28 previous races. But, this time he was victorious, which resulted in Whiteley winning £1.5 million.
2. Vegas Dave – A Large Bet Got Him £1.95 Million
Dave Oancea is a successful Las Vegas gambler that had placed numerous successful bets in the past. In November 2015, he won £120,000 after betting on Holly Holm beating Ronda Rousey.
But, here we’ll talk about the bet he placed during the first week of the 2015 MLB Season. He decided to put £84,000 on the Kansas City Royals to win the World Series at 30/1 odds.
However, this bet required a serious effort, as he needed to split the amount across 14 different casinos. In the end, the Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Mets and Dave got a £1.5 million prize.
1. Billy Walters – Winning £2.2 Million Bet on the Super Bowl
Last on our list, we have Billy Walters’ incredible win in 2010. This concerns the Super Bowl XLIV when the New Orleans Saints were playing against the Indianapolis Colts. Here, we must note that Walters is a well-known successful poker player who won staggering sums over the years.
After carefully considering his options, Walters decided to place a bet on the New Orleans Saints to win the 2010 Super Bowl. Lucky for him, the Saints won against the Colts 31-17, which resulted in a win of £2.2 million.