Sports betting is one of the most popular types of gambling in the United States, with millions of players across the nation every week – but what are the biggest sports bets ever placed?
We at Sportslens have compiled a list of the top ten biggest sports bets in history, with some crazy wins and gut-wrenching losses.
The sports bet on include the Super Bowl, English soccer leagues, the UFC to the World Series.
But what they all have in common is the monstrous stakes placed.
Read on to find out who takes the top spot!
Top 10 Biggest Sports Bets Ever Placed
| Date | Bettor | Bet | Stake | Odds | Result | Payout |
| 30/10/2019 | Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale | Astros to Win the World Series | $13,589,000 | Lost | – | |
| 05/11/2022 | Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale | Several Singles on the Houston Astros to Win the World Series | $10,448,163 | 15/2 | Won | $78,361,222 |
| 13/02/2022 | Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale | Two Singles on the Cincinnati Bengals to Win Super Bowl LVI | $9,464,269 | 17/10 | Lost | – |
| 04/04/2022 | Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale | Kansas Jayhawks to Win NCAA Men’s Competition | $9,271,000 | 15/8 | Won | $15,875,000 |
| 11/01/2022 | Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale | Alabama Crimson to win the College Football Playoff National Championship | $6,477,000 | Lost | – | |
| 07/02/2010 | Billy Walters | New Orleans to Win the Superbowl | $3,680,771 | 4/5 | Won | $6,619,787 |
| 13/11/2022 | Drake | Adesanya To Beat Pereira | $2,060,803 | 9/20 | Lost | – |
| 15/01/2023 | Unknown | LA Chargers to Beat Jacksonville Jaguars | $1,472,966 | 0.01/1 | Lost | – |
| 01/01/2007 | Billy Walters | USC to Beat University of Michigan | $1,397,000 | 5/2 | Won | $4,889,500 |
| 02/05/2005 | Fred Done | Man Utd to Finish Higher than Chelsea | $1,270,000 | 1/1 | Lost | – |
Incredibly, all five of the biggest wagers in sports betting history come from one man. Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, is a businessman from Houston, Texas.
The 72-year-old is known for owning and operating the Gallery Furniture retail chain, hence his “Mattress Mack” nickname.
And in 2022, he was awarded $75 million in total payouts as the Houston Astros claimed the World Series. The win was officially recorded as the highest payout in sports betting history.
However, his stake of $10,448,163 was less than he’d lost to MLB betting three years earlier. In 2019, he had again bet on the Astros to win the World Series, but lost his incredible $13,589,000 stake, the largest sports bet ever placed.
The biggest bet placed by someone besides McIngvale came from Billy Walters. Walters is known as perhaps the greatest sports bettor of all time, and his biggest win supports that claim.
In 2010, Walters staked $3,680,771 on the New Orleans Saints to win that year’s Super Bowl. They defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17, winning Walters $6,619,787.
Another well-known gambler, Canadian rap star Drake has placed some monster bets. Drake’s biggest ever single sports bet was his $2,060,803 stake on Israel Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira at UFC 281.
He would lose the bet, with Pereira emerging victorious.
In ninth place, and the only person to have won all of their bets on this list, Billy Walters was at it again in 2007. He won $4,889,500 after backing USC to beat the University of Michigan, having staked $1,397,000.
And rounding out our list of the top ten biggest sports bets ever placed is Fred Done. He wagered £1,000,000, or $1,270,000 at today’s exchange rate, on Manchester United finishing above Chelsea in the 2005 English Premier League season.
He would lose the bet, with Chelsea beating United to the title that year. Man United finished third in the table, also below Arsenal.
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