Betting on NFL games is becoming increasingly popular in the United States as more states begin to legalize and regulate gambling. The rules differ from state to state, with some allowing just sports betting and licensed casinos and others welcoming all types of gambling, including online casinos, betting sites and physical venues.
While many NFL fans enjoy wagering on the outcomes of the games they watch, there are a few that engage in seriously high stakes betting. These individuals often have plenty of cash to spare or are highly confident that the odds are in their favour.
Here are just a few of the biggest and most daring bets ever made on an NFL game:
An anonymous individual bet $3 million on a three-leg parlay in 2020
Last year the betting site DraftKings claimed that an unidentified user had wagered $3 million dollars on a three part bet. Daringly, they bet that Georgia would win the SEC East division; the Packers would the NFC North division and Alabama would win the SEC West division.
This was by far the largest ever bet that the Boston based sportsbook had ever taken, in fact it remains one of the largest US sporting bets ever recorded. In this instance, if the bettor was successful then the payout would be $8.6 million.
Pro bettor wagers $2.2 million on the USC Trojans to beat the Michigan Wolverines
Billy Walters is a well-known name in the world of NFL sports betting, he is one of the most successful professional gamblers in Las Vegas and has won millions over his 30-year career. The Kentucky born bettor has a net worth of over $100 million dollars and also owns a range of car dealerships and commercial properties.
One of his most daring bets took place back in 2007 when he placed a $2.2 million dollar bet on the University of Southern California Trojans beating the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl. Fortunately for him, the USC won the game with a score of 32-18.
Three years later Billy Walters took a chance on the NFL once again and at the Super Bowl. He bet $3.5 million on the New Orleans Saints, who were considered to be the underdog, in their game against Peyton Manning’s Colts. He won a huge sum from this wager after The Saints won 31-17.
The bettor recently received a prison sentence for insider trading but eventually had his sentence commuted by then-president Donald Trump in January this year.
Rapper Birdman placed a $1 million wager on the Packers
Hip hop star Birdman is best known as a professional rapper and the co-founder of Cash Money Records. He is famous for his collaborations with the rapper Lil Wayne.
In 2011, Birdman played a $1 million dollar bet on the Packers winning against the Steelers in Super Bowl 45. The result was in his favour with the Packers winning the game with a score of 31-25.
Following on from this success, the rapper attempted to place a huge $5 million dollar wager on the Patriots in their game against the Giants. However, all the major sportsbooks refused to take on this bet, which was fortunate for him in the end as it was not a favourable result.
Anonymous bettor places $623,142 on the Panthers
In 2016, one anonymous bettor put down a $623,142 dollar bet on the Panthers to win their game against the Broncos. Unfortunately for this individual, Cam Newton dominated the game with his powerful offense and the Broncos won with a score of 24-10.
$240,000 on BYU to beat Texas-San Antonio
While not NFL, another individual feeling lucky during their visit to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, took advantage on the online opportunities for Nevada customers and placed a $240,000 money-line bet with William Hill. They bet that BYU would beat Texas-San Antonio.
BYU were the clear favorites at the time of the match. Their risk taking paid off as BYU to in fact win, however the return on the bet was just 1.4 percent.
This means that the bettor won just over $3,000 after putting a huge sum of $240,000 on the line, leading many to question whether it was worth taking such a huge chance for such a small reward.
$100,000 bet on the Panthers +4 for the second half against the Falcons
Someone visited a sportsbook at The Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to place a $100,000 bet on the Panthers. They bet that the Panthers would gain +4 in the second half of their game against the Falcons.
Unluckily for them, Falcons player Younghoe Koo made a 54-yard field goal in the final four seconds of the game and the end result was 23-16, following a score of 20-7 in the first half.