Ever since the US supreme court allowed sports betting to be legalized in 2018, Americans have gone on to wager well over $100 billion.
That figure will almost certainly continue to rise, with an estimated 40 million citizens regularly indulging in sports gambling.
According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), the annual revenue for sports betting is projected to top $11.6bn for 2023.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, NFL sports betting accounted for a large portion of the yearly revenue taken across the US over the last 12 months.
Football has long been a favourite for American citizens when it comes to sports betting. Super Bowl LVIII is just around the corner, which means a flurry of huge bets are expected once again.
With that in mind, here at SportsLens, it got us thinking. What are the 5 biggest NFL bets of all-time?
5. $1.68 Million On The Chiefs (DraftKings)
You only have to go back to Super Bowl LVII to find the fifth biggest NFL bet of all-time. The championship decider was played out between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm.
The bet in question was placed at DraftKings for a cool $1.68 million on a Chiefs victory at +3.5 (-168). They prevailed 38 to 35 which netted the bettor a healthy $1 million in profit.
In fact, this bet wasn’t even the biggest placed on the extravaganza. However, it certainly demonstrates how big US sports fans like to wager on their favorite events.
4. $2.2 Million On The Eagles (Caesars Sportsbook)
Coming in at number four is the $2.2m wagered on the Super Bowl LVII showdown between Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Unlike the fifth entry on our list, this bettor was left somewhat disappointed after they backed an Eagles win at -1½. If it had won, the bettor would have collected $2 million in profit.
Last year’s Super Bowl actually saw various six and seven figure bets placed with a number of US sportsboooks, with the majority of them backing the Eagles. Ouch.
3. $2.3 Million On The Buccaneers (BetMGM)
Super Bowl LV played host to the third largest NFL bet of all-time. The Kansas City Chiefs met Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Florida.
The anonymous bettor from Nevada wagered $2.3 million on a Buccaners victory with BetMGM, and they would not come to regret that decision.
A commanding victory for the Buccaneers on Brady’s 10th Super Bowl appearance netted the bettor around $2 million in profit.
2. $3.46 Million On The Buccaneers (DraftKings)
The second largest NFL bet of all-time was placed by Texas businessman Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale. He used his mobile at a Colarado airport to wager $3.46 million at Super Bowl LV.
The decider was between defending champions Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Mattress Mack backing the latter for $3.46 million.
He placed the bet with DraftKings and after the Buccaneers won 31 to 9, collected a sizeable $2.75 million in profit. Mattress Mack also refunded anyone who spent $3,000 or more at his stores if the Buccaneers won. Great marketing ploy as well as a great sports bet.
$4.5 And $5 Million On The Bengals (Caesars Sportsbook)
It really was a case of the Return of the Mack at Super Bowl LVI, as Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale claims the honor of placing the biggest NFL bet(s) of all-time.
A year after his last Super Bowl betting extravaganza, the Texan placed two separate bets on the same outcome. He backed a Cincinnati Bengals victory against the Los Angeles Rams.
One bet was for $4.5 million and the other for $5 million at Caesars Sportsbook. Unfortunately for McIngvale, the Rams went on to win 23 to 20 and he lost an eye-watering $9.5 million.
NOTE: We have all the latest odds ahead of the NFL championship weekend – with the San Francisco 49ers the current favourites to take home the Lombardi Trophy.
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