NFL Bettor Turns $5 Into $72K Windfall Following Successful Parlay Bet

Posted on: January 25, 2023, 07:53h. 

Last updated on: January 25, 2023, 01:37h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

According to different studies, around three-quarters of sports bettors like to wager more for the entertainment value they receive rather than for the money they could win. However, no one would reject winning big, like the NFL bettor who turned $5 into more than $72K on a four-leg parlay.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz
Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz scores a TD against San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner. Scoring the first TD of the game gave a sports bettor a $72K windfall. (Image: Associated Press)

As reported by the New York Post, Cameron Craig put a five-spot on who would score the first TD in each of the NFL’s divisional round games. He can thank three tight ends and one wide receiver for making his dream come true.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert, Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz, and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase all scored first in their respective games. As a result, that $5 became $72,795 for Craig.

Sportsbook Tries to Buy Him Off

Kelce scored when the Chiefs met the Jacksonville Jaguars and Goedert scored in the Eagles’ thumping of the New York Giants. Two down, two to go for Craig, and Chase then gave him a third as the Bengals took on the Buffalo Bills.

At this point, the sportsbook where Craig placed his bet apparently began to get nervous. There was only one more game left, and even though Dallas was the underdog against the San Francisco 49ers, FanDuel didn’t want to take any chances.

The book reportedly tried to buy off Craig by offering him a $1,393.56 payout. Against odds of +1500 on Schultz getting the first TD, the amount was ridiculously low, so Craig decided to let his bet ride.

It was a wise decision. Even though the Cowboys showed no real offensive strategy in the game, Schultz, despite his questionable performance later on, got on the board with the first TD.

It was the perfect ending for Craig, a devoted Bengals fan. He said he was going to use the “life-changing” money to pay off his loans and become “debt-free.”

Plenty of NFL Bets Available

There are still a couple more NFL options for bettors, and the lines are moving. The Conference championships will take place this weekend, with the Bengals now favored to beat the Chiefs to win the AFC.

Bettors are backing the Bengals for several reasons. One is the ankle injury Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is dealing with. Another is the consistency the Bengals have been showing all the way through the start of the postseason.

It doesn’t hurt that the Bengals just picked up a ringer, either. They claimed cornerback Chris Lammons off waivers, stealing him from the Chiefs. While he can’t play for the Bengals until next season, nothing can stop him from sharing dirt on the team.

In the NFC, the 49ers and the Eagles are in a close battle, and the Eagles are out in front with the sportsbooks. That doesn’t mean a whole lot at this point, as both are almost dead even this season. Still, it’s been a boon for sportsbooks around Philadelphia.

San Francisco is 15-4 on the moneyline, while the Eagles are 15-3. Rookie QB Brock Purdy has proven himself with the Niners, but still faces a huge challenge this weekend.

San Francisco will also have to deal with the arrest of defensive lineman Charles Omenihu on domestic violence charges. Eagles fans will definitely try to take advantage of this on their own turf, and the Niners will have to keep their heads in the game.

Huge Parlays Mean Huge Money

Football, of course, isn’t the only sport that welcomes parlay bets. They’re found in all sports and are a great way for a bettor to challenge his or her analytical skills.

The more legs the parlay has, the more rewarding it can be, as a bettor in Peru just showed after landing a massive 28-leg soccer parlay for a substantial windfall.

The unidentified bettor risked PEN2 (US$0.51) on a series of winners in matches from around the world. Among those were Juventus vs. Atalanta, Barcelona vs. Getafe, and Manchester City vs. Wolves. There were even contests in the South American U-20 Football Championship, such as Bolivia vs. Ecuador.

While the return may not have been as life-altering as Craig’s, the Peruvian bettor can’t complain. For just half a dollar, he won PEN1,141 (US$291.30), or a little less than what a month’s rent costs for a one-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the capital city of Lima.

Another Peruvian bettor had a similar – and more profitable – experience this week. He bet PEN25 (US$6.38) on a 22-leg parlay, walking away with more than US$6,000 in his pockets.