Germany beat Brazil 7-1 on Tuesday and Sami Khedira scored. It’s the kind of result that might make you turn to a friend and say “What are the odds of that?” One alleged bettor has those numbers for you. They’re 2319-to-1 -- but something doesn’t add up.
Did someone really win $46,000 betting on Germany-Brazil?
Is it possible to find a parlay so big that you can win $46,000 on a $20 bet? Yes, but not without some work.
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
The internet is abuzz over a screenshot of an alleged betting slip that shows precisely this parlay. One gambling site is unsure of its veracity.
“I chatted with someone at Bet365 who was pretty certain that no 7-1 option was available on the site for that game, but it could have been granted to a bettor who called up and specifically asked for it,” said Mike Pickett of OddsShark.com, which provides lines to SB Nation.
Essentially a bettor could call Bet365 and request the very specific bet of a 7-1 score and Khedira scoring, but it’s not something that could be done without some work.
“It’s akin to calling up a sportsbook and saying, ‘I want to bet on the Yankees tonight to win exactly 20-0 and for Derek Jeter to hit for the cycle -- what odds will you give me?” Pickett said. “The book will usually set odds on a relative impossibility like that, because if either of those things don’t happen, the bet is lost. It’s like writing your own lottery ticket.”
The problem is compounded by the slip showing the bet and payout in USD, a currency the UK-based site doesn’t operate in. Moreover, the United States is not listed as a country of residence when signing up on the site, meaning workarounds would be needed to establish an account.
Ultimately we don’t know for sure.
One report from New Zealand explains a similar bet, except this man was far less bold. He placed a $2 wager on a 7-1 Germany win, and received a confirmed payout of $500. The Sporting News also offered prop bet lines for the game, but didn’t have a 7-1 option available.
Perhaps this internet user stumbled across a very unique set of circumstances that allowed him to win big on Tuesday’s game. But we wouldn’t bet on it.
