Whats your worst sports betting loss ever?

[Zippy Chippy]

We had some good laughs the other day at a bar reminiscing horrible betting losses. Had a friend getting 10 pts in NCAA football and lose by 13 in OT (score 1st then return int ). Had another friend that lost a Syracuse hoop bet cause crowd threw oranges on court and they called technical on crowd lol.

My worst was 1994 patriots @ Steelers getting 13.5. Tied with under 2 mins left and patriots have 1st down.

3 and out. Pitt scores 50 yard pass. Pats get ball Ben coated fumbles and Pitt runs it in!

[pandy]

I can't remember the year, probably 20 years ago at least, I loved the Chargers and bet twice my regular unit, they were 10 point underdogs. At the half they were winning 28 nothing. They lost and did not cover the 10 pt spread.

[Striker]

December 2009 I was in Vegas and had bet on the Chicago Bulls moneyline, 1st half and the game spread, it was maybe like -4 or something, against the Sacramento Kings. Bulls dominated the 1st half so I won that bet but when they had a 35 point lead in the 3rd quarter I thought it was over. WRONG! The Bulls were outscored 33-10 in the 4th after ending the third quarter terribly also. The media called it the 2nd biggest choke job ever in the history of the NBA, don't know what the 1st was.

[Zippy Chippy]

December 2009 I was in Vegas and had bet on the Chicago Bulls moneyline, 1st half and the game spread, it was maybe like -4 or something, against the Sacramento Kings. Bulls dominated the 1st half so I won that bet but when they had a 35 point lead in the 3rd quarter I thought it was over. WRONG! The Bulls were outscored 33-10 in the 4th after ending the third quarter terribly also. The media called it the 2nd biggest choke job ever in the history of the NBA, don't know what the 1st was.

Haha. Saw highlights of that game the other day

[cj's dad]

Edgar Prado was riding at Laurel Park in the fall of 02-03 (?). He was having a great year in Md. and as the meet came to a close in the last several weeks mgmt. had erected a sign in the infield near the tote which tracked his wins.

Last day of the meet, last race, he is sitting at 499. He's riding a 5/2 shot I like, so I bet $200 to win. Largest bet ever for me. Turning for home he starts to move and at the 1/16 pole he is clearly going to win; until the horse takes a bad step and EP has to pull him up. Went from $700+ to the s---house.

[Bettowin]

This week?

Bet under 205 on the OKC Thunder and Denver. Well under with a minute to go. With 6.2 seconds Durant hits a three to pull them within 1 point and they foul with the total at 204 lucky for me the Denver player missed a free throw and I get a push. Hardly felt like I pushed after thinking it was in the bag with under a minute to go.

Last night I take over 91 1/2 in the 2nd half of the Laker game. Didn't see the end but the total was 91!! Dammit.

[Marshall Bennett]

I lost my fair share betting on the Houston Oilers back during their years here. I'd be afraid to add it up, even if I could.

[Robert Goren]

In a bowl game one time with teams i have forgot, I gave 2 td. I could have gotten 48 and still lost.

[thaskalos]

I recall that it was on the day of my very first date with the girl who eventually became my wife.

Both the Vikings and the Redskins featured high-powered offenses at that time...and I placed a large wager on the OVER when the two teams met. (The over/under was 41.5)

With the score 21-20 AT HALFTIME...I turned the TV off and called up my "date", requesting that we get together a little earlier - to spend some of my winnings.

Imagine my surprise when I later found out that these two teams failed to score even a single point during the entire second half...:faint:

[Stillriledup]

Had a ML bet on the Az Cards to win the SB and lost the bet when the refs didnt call holding on the Harrison TD return just before halftime. Call that play back, and i win. There was at least one holding (on Warner) and at least one block in the back and nothing called.

I guess the Steelers were still reaping some of their good fortune from the year the refs handed them the SB vs the Hawks....i guess i should have known the Steelers were (and are) the chosen ones and i was silly to bet against them.

[Zippy Chippy]

Had a ML bet on the Az Cards to win the SB and lost the bet when the refs didnt call holding on the Harrison TD return just before halftime. Call that play back, and i win. There was at least one holding (on Warner) and at least one block in the back and nothing called.

I guess the Steelers were still reaping some of their good fortune from the year the refs handed them the SB vs the Hawks....i guess i should have known the Steelers were (and are) the chosen ones and i was silly to bet against them.

Its suicide betting against the Steelers.. If the refs don't get you, something else will. Bill Cowher had a reputation of trying to score in OT. I swear i saw 3 games were they were favored 3-4 pts and they won by 6 in OT. I hate that team

[slew101]

So many to consider, but the AFC divisional playoffs in 1987. NE at Denver.

Pats getting 4.5 and down 20-17. Denver has the ball near midfield, 3rd and short to clinch the game with about 1 minute left. They don't get it and punt the Pats to their own 5-yard-line.

First play, Tony Eason gets sacked in the end zone for safety and a 22-17 final and Broncos cover. Not so much getting burned, but Eason just ducked his head and took the sack with the defender running right at him.

As a Pats fan, I wanted Denver to pick up the first down because I knew, no way Eason was driving them for a tying FG.

[Zippy Chippy]

So many to consider, but the AFC divisional playoffs in 1987. NE at Denver.

Pats getting 4.5 and down 20-17. Denver has the ball near midfield, 3rd and short to clinch the game with about 1 minute left. They don't get it and punt the Pats to their own 5-yard-line.

First play, Tony Eason gets sacked in the end zone for safety and a 22-17 final and Broncos cover. Not so much getting burned, but Eason just ducked his head and took the sack with the defender running right at him.

As a Pats fan, I wanted Denver to pick up the first down because I knew, no way Eason was driving them for a tying FG.

Those are the worst, when all you need is a 1st down.... then they dont get it and now you have to dodge all sorts of disasters that can happen..

[lamboguy]

my worst loss i was laying 7 1/2 points with the knicks against the cav's. the knicks were leading by 9, frazier throws the ball into earl the pearl monroe and he dunks the ball with 2 seconds left in the cav's basket to win by 7 and i lost.

[Valuist]

December 2009 I was in Vegas and had bet on the Chicago Bulls moneyline, 1st half and the game spread, it was maybe like -4 or something, against the Sacramento Kings. Bulls dominated the 1st half so I won that bet but when they had a 35 point lead in the 3rd quarter I thought it was over. WRONG! The Bulls were outscored 33-10 in the 4th after ending the third quarter terribly also. The media called it the 2nd biggest choke job ever in the history of the NBA, don't know what the 1st was.

I remember that game.

With sports betting, I've had some tough beats but they get forgotten. They don't stay with you like getting nosed out of a monster Pic 4.

[nomadpat]

subtitled: Why I quit betting the NBA.

Back in 1999. Utah @ Sacramento. Two nights before the game, Chris Weber was in the hospital with an IV. As soon as I heard that, I knew he wouldn't be playing and even if he was, there was no way he'd be close to 100%. On top of it, Utah had just lost to the Clippers, and they were golden after a loss. So I fired as soon as the line opened. It opened Utah -3 and I think moved when it was official Weber wouldn't play.

The game opened up with Utah running the pick and roll with Stockton/Malone like it was a video game. They were up 16-4, Rick Adelman got a technical, the Kings are in chaos. Utah makes the FT to make it 17-4, and I thought it was over. The gods of premature celebration saw otherwise.

A rookie who I didn't know about at the time, Stojakovic, came in and was hitting 3s left and right. Vernon Maxwell finds the fountain of youth for 33, mainly on 3s. As crazy as it was, there was still hope for Utah. The game goes into OT, and I'm thinking I still have a chance. Sac has got to be tired and can't sustain this. Well, they do. They go up by 2 with 3 secs to go in OT, Utah calls a time out and has the ball at center court.

They run an inbounds play and Bryon Russell makes a layup with less than a second to go and I yell "Yes! I'm alive". They have got to be able to win in 2OT, right? There is a whistle and the ref calls Russell for an offensive foul. How many times do they make that call with less than a second to go in OT??? :mad:

Here is the box score. How do you lose a game when the other team's starters combine for 21 points? :confused:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199903300SAC.html

[Zaf]

Was a long long time ago. Made a big bet . Was a Phillies - Pirates game , remember having a 8-0 lead and losing like 12-11. Had to be 25+ years ago.

Z

[cj's dad]

Was a long long time ago. Made a big bet . Was a Phillies - Pirates game , remember having a 8-0 lead and losing like 12-11. Had to be 25+ years ago.

Z

I thought it would have been last year at Saratoga when you lost that $2.40 dime Super box that would have paid about $30 ??

And don't forget my damn cooler this year; thing cost me a small fortune !!

[OTM Al]

Never bet sports other than horses but two come to mind there. First several years ago when NYRA ran the Showvivor contest I was doing really well and the number left had gotten quite small. The horse I had was making a winning move on the turn when all four feet went out from under him and he just fell down. He was fine, I was out. The other was just this past summer when I went with a straigh Midday-Sariska exacta to beat an overbet Snow Fairy facing elders for the first time. Midday won by open lengths while Sariska, a multiple Group 1 winner decided her career was over and refused to leave the gate. I'm not talking hesitated and walked out, I mean just stood there.

[onefast99]

2007 at MP in late July I bet the 7 horse at Saratoga $1k across the board went back to my seat to watch the race on simulcast and as the horses were loading I happened to look down at my ticket to realize the teller gave me MP instead of Saratoga. I didn't get back to the window in time to change the ticket over to Saratoga but the teller was able to cancel the MP ticket and refund my 3k. The 7 won the next race at MP at odds of 9-1!

[Zaf]

I thought it would have been last year at Saratoga when you lost that $2.40 dime Super box that would have paid about $30 ??

And don't forget my damn cooler this year; thing cost me a small fortune !!

You are forgetting about that $10 cold DD that I got DQ'ed on at EVD at the Harness track. About the cooler Hmmmm I will think about it , Ha!

Z

[NJ Stinks]

1983 - The Super Bowl. Got the Dolphins +3.5 against the Redskins in the biggest bet I ever made on a game up to that time.

Up 17-10 at the half and Killer Bees living up to the name.

Believe me when I say that me and Killer Bees were ready to pop the cork. QB David Woodley and the Miami offense had other ideas. Imagine if you will a pro QB completing zero passes in the second half. Or a conference championship team getting a couple first downs in an entire half.

After the game the focus was on the Skins offensive line dominating Miami's famed defense. Not even close in my mind. Miami's defense never got a break the entire game. That they had a chance to win at all deep in the 4th quarter is a testament to how great their D really was that day.

P.S. This game continued a puzzling trend where I seemed to lose my bet if my side returned a kickoff or a punt for a TD.

What's up with that? :confused: :)

[AZWrobel]

Funny how most of these are steeler stories. I have one back when the texans were in their inaugural season. I had a big 13 point tease going. first 3 games come in easy. down to the steelers texans, line was -13 i tease it to pick em. The Steelers outgain Texans 478 to 56. Blowout right, yes. Houston wins 27 - 7. Tommy Maddox threw 2 Pick 6's, Houston ran a punt for a TD and Pitt had 4 or 5 Turnovers. It was incredible.

Had another bad one with Florida at Miss St in the Tebow era. I have over 48.5. the score is 29 to 13 with 2 minutes left Miss st scores goes for 2 and misses so I am getting halfpoint hooked at 29 - 19. Miss st recovers the onside kick with no more than 30 seconds left in the game. QB goes back to pass, tipped ball Pick 6....Called back. Roughing the passer, Brutal call too. These 2 among others still sting!

[Capper Al]

My worst bet is that buying a house would be a good investment.

[BlueShoe]

The 1986 ALCS. Heavily bet the Angels in man to man betting with several friends and aquaintances. When they took a 3-1 series lead against the Red Sox thought for sure that I was in. When they were one strike away from winning game 5 and the series, began mentally to spend my winnings. After Boston came back to win the game and then the next two, was in a state of shocked disbelief. Was paying off guys for days, but perhaps the humiliation and ribbing I took was just as bad as the money.

[Marlin]

Robin Ventura's longest single in baseball history cost me money. I can't exactly remember the terms but it cost me. I'm glad Nolan Ryan kicked his arse.
I'm one for two on teams being called back on the field after going to the locker room. I think one involved the Dolphins/Bills. The memory isn't what it once was.

[Striker]

If the Chicago Bulls loss was #1 for me, the Chris Duhon shot in the 2004 NCAA final four from halfcourt as time expired that covered the spread for the Dukies against UCONN is #1A for me. They say that shot transferred something like $50 million dollars to the other side.

[PhantomOnTour]

Lost the 2nd quarter pool when Joe Theisman got picked by Jack Squirek of the Raiders with 12 seconds to go...touchdown...dammit Joe.
I was only about 14 at the time and it was a $20/square pool.
$500 at age 14 is some kinda bank baby.

Waited about 17yrs or so for my redemption...the Raiders paid me back.
With about 20 seconds left and the game out of hand Rich Gannon gifted the Bucs a pick six, and in turn got me my $500 payoff.
Go 'head Rich :ThmbUp:

[andtheyreoff]

Was a long long time ago. Made a big bet . Was a Phillies - Pirates game , remember having a 8-0 lead and losing like 12-11. Had to be 25+ years ago.

Z

Sorry to pull a SRU on you guys, but I assume the game you are referring to happened on June 5, 1989, when the Pirates scored 10 runs in the first inning against the Phillies and blew it to lose 15-11.

The most noteworthy part of it was that when the Phillies came to bat in the bottom of the 1st, Pirates broadcaster Jim Rooker said "If we lose this game, I'll walk home". At the end of the season, he walked from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for charity.

[Valuist]

How about the bettors who took Wisconsin and layed the points against UNLV around 8-10 years ago? Wisky had a comfortable lead and easy cover and was going to milk the clock out in the final 6 minutes. Then there's a power outage......6 minutes still to play so the refs end up saying the game is final. Wisky got the win but there is a rule in Nevada sportsbooks that football games must go 55 minutes to be official. There was a near riot as the Wisconsin bettors only got their money back as the game, by sportsbook standards, was not official.

[Elliott Sidewater]

July 2, 1983 at Keystone. Alive in the final leg of the pick 6 with just one horse, with a very nice carryover and 2 price horses in among the previous 5 races. Lost a stretch long duel with the eventual winner retaking lead by nose from my horse in the final stride. Oh yes, the irony? My horse was named Pour L'Oiseau, which is French for "for the birds". :bang:

[TJDave]

July 2, 1983 at Keystone. Alive in the final leg of the pick 6 with just one horse, with a very nice carryover and 2 price horses in among the previous 5 races. Lost a stretch long duel with the eventual winner retaking lead by nose from my horse in the final stride. Oh yes, the irony? My horse was named Pour L'Oiseau, which is French for "for the birds". :bang:

I was there...Once. It wasn't losing that chapped me but in not laying my bet. I've since been in similar situations and though I haven't always won I've never since lost one penny of my investment. Usually have both sides covered up.

[ManU918]

I'm going to go the other way here and mention my best win that I know was the worst for others that night who had the other side. April 4, 2004 - Duke +2.5 vs UConn in the Final Four. Duke was leading the majority of the game until a late run by UConn in the final minutes. UConn was up 78-75 with 3 seconds to go and Okafor gets fouled and goes to the line. Okafor misses the first and makes the second. UConn leads 79-75, Duke inbounds to Chris Duhon who takes about 3 steps and gets close to half court and throws up a miracle for no reason and nails it. 79-78 final. Duke covers the 2.5 because of a half court shot. I'll never forget the reaction of those who were on Duke and UConn. I was in a very heated environment and it was not a pretty scene after Duke hit that shot because the UConn backers were pretty ignorant after the late run when they thought UConn was a lock. Duke backers immediately started talking shit and one thing lead to another. I had a front row seat for what eventually turned into a huge brawl.

[Zippy Chippy]

I didn't bet it but I saw usc was favored 8.5 the other night. They are up 3 in the waning seconds and Utah is driving. They call timeout and bring on the kicker with a second left . Yup, blocked and run back for a TD... Wow, I just Googled it to get score. What a disaster. Is go crazy if I had usc and didn't get paid.

http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/09/usc-football-betting-vegas-sports-books-mixup.html

[Valuist]

Waited about 17yrs or so for my redemption...the Raiders paid me back.
With about 20 seconds left and the game out of hand Rich Gannon gifted the Bucs a pick six, and in turn got me my $500 payoff.
Go 'head Rich :ThmbUp:

Damn Gannon. He cost me a bet due to that pick. I had Gannon UNDER 255 yards (or something in that area). He had 90 something yards at the half and still was about 25 yards under the bet total with 2 minutes to play. Once I saw the interception by Brooks I thought the bet was safe. One problem: the Raiders didn't try to tackle so Brooks took it to the house. The Raiders got the ball back, Gannon completed 3 screen passes in the final minute and I lost the bet by a few yards.

[ElKabong]

Valentine's Day, 2002. I wanted to bet a claim BADLY, a runner named Sweet Caroline at Laurel. Paid $34 or somesuch. I missed out, promised the woman I was dating I'd take her out to a V-day lunch at her favorite Italian restaurant. Cost me ~ $6800 (gross) not getting that bet down. That one haunted me for months.