From a 50-cent college basketball parlay that mushroomed into six figures to an $8 million wager on the NBA Finals, 2025 produced a string of headline-grabbing sports bets across the United States. Here are the year’s most memorable tickets, listed in chronological order.
January
Jan. 9 – 19-Leg College Hoops Parlay
A DraftKings customer combined 19 point-spread selections, most from mid-major conferences, at +43,473,946. Every school covered, turning a 50-cent stake into $217,370.23.
Jan. 28 – Heisman Futures Hit
One bettor laid $1,000 on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at 100-1 to win the Heisman Trophy. Eleven months later, Mendoza collected the award and the ticket paid $100,000.
February
Feb. 9 – Super Bowl LIX Swing
The Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs produced the largest single-game loss of the year for BetMGM customers, according to the operator.
April
April 21 – Pope’s Passing Spurs Home-Run Rush
After news broke that the Pope had died, bettors flooded books with wagers on Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos, an internet meme for homering during major news events. BetMGM shortened his price from +775 to +550, yet action continued. Castellanos went 0-for-4.
June
June 5 – $8 Million NBA Finals Bet
An Ohio bettor risked $8 million at ‑700 on the Oklahoma City Thunder to beat the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder prevailed in seven games, netting $1.42 million.
June 15 – 150-1 U.S. Open Champion
J.J. Spaun, listed at 150-1, captured the U.S. Open, the deepest champion odds at a men’s major since Phil Mickelson’s 200-1 PGA Championship win in 2021.
June 24 – College Football Futures Miss
A BetMGM customer in Arizona placed three futures: $300,000 on Texas at 5-1, $200,000 on Penn State at +750 and $115,000 on Clemson at 13-1. None of the teams reached the College Football Playoff.
June 25 – 500-1 NBA Draft Shock
DraftKings offered 500-1 on Dallas selecting Cooper Flagg first overall. The Mavericks indeed chose Flagg, cashing the longest individual futures price available at the book in 2025.
August
Aug. 23 – Even Money on Belichick’s Tar Heels and Undefeated Hoosiers
Entering the season, North Carolina under new coach Bill Belichick drew the same handle to win the national title at BetMGM as Indiana. The Hoosiers finished unbeaten and secured the CFP’s top seed, while the Tar Heels went 4-8.
Aug. 30 – Perfect 15-Game MLB Parlay
A $5 wager at DraftKings correctly picked all 15 Saturday MLB winners, paying $125,088.36.
Aug. 31 – Lee Corso Farewell Parlay
A FanDuel bettor tailed Lee Corso’s final College Gameday picks, including Florida State over Alabama, and turned $10 into $1,317.18 with a six-leg parlay.
September
Sept. 7 – Bills-Ravens Thriller
Buffalo’s 41-40 comeback over Baltimore delivered BetMGM’s biggest customer win of 2025. DraftKings reported it as the largest loss in company history.
Sept. 11 – $715,000 Crawford Upset
A Caesars Sportsbook patron risked $715,000 on +140 underdog Terence Crawford against Canelo Álvarez and profited $985,000 when Crawford won by unanimous decision.
October
Oct. 15 – Nathan Lukes ALCS Exploit
A Massachusetts bettor entered 27 parlays focused on Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes’ hit totals, wagering $12,950 for a shot at $934,147.83. Lukes recorded nine hits, helping the same bettor group—spanning to New Jersey—collect roughly $1.8 million. DraftKings’ request to void the bets was denied by regulators in both states.
November
Nov. 2 – National Tight Ends Day Follow-Up
A Caesars customer combined five first-touchdown bets on tight ends in various NFL games, staking $2.50 on each permutation. Four tight ends scored first, earning about $111,000 from a potential $2 million maximum.
December
Dec. 7 – 20-Leg College Basketball Unders Win
A Hard Rock BET player hit a 20-leg under parlay on college hoops totals. The $1 ticket returned $344,902.81 at +34,490,181, the longest-odds parlay ever cashed with the operator.
Dec. 8 – $1.47 Million NFL Parlay
Fanatics recorded its largest winning wager when a customer risked $1.47 million on a four-leg Week 14 NFL parlay involving the Rams, Packers, Broncos and an alternate Steelers-Ravens under, netting $1.86 million.
Dec. 14 – Ten-Cent First-Touchdown Windfall
Correctly calling the first touchdown scorer in five separate NFL games turned a 10-cent stake into $7,356.80.
The eclectic mix of micro-stakes miracles and multimillion-dollar gambles underscored the volatility—and allure—of the legal betting landscape throughout 2025.
Source: ESPN
