Perhaps one of the most improbable sports bets, winning or losing, struck in recent years was the $85,000 placed on Tiger Woods to win the 2019 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Notwithstanding the fact that Woods was attempting to win his first major championship since the 2008 US Open, the bet was all the more remarkable for the circumstances under which it was placed.
The bettor in question was James P. Adducci, a 39-year-old Wisconsin man who lived with his ailing 82-year-old father and had never before placed a sports bet. Nevertheless, Adducci sold $55,000 of Amazon shares to raise his stake money and, after being ‘knocked back’ by two other bookmakers, was finally accommodated at 14/1, for the full $85,000, by William Hill.
The rest, as they say, is history. Tiger Woods won his fifth Green Jacket, despite a bogey on the final hole, yielding a profit of $1.19 million for the intrepid Adducci. Not satisfied with the largest golf payout in company history, shortly before the PGA Championship, in May, Adducci placed $100,000 on Tiger Woods to complete the Grand Slam by winning the PGA Championship, US Open and Open Championship at odds of 100/1. The potential payout was $10 million, but the excitement was short-lived as Woods shot 72, 73 in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship to miss the cut by a single stroke.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Adducci originally trained as a commodities trader, but although he described himself as a ‘day trader’, he also confessed to having been $25,000 in debt. He never really explained, at least not adequately, the rationale behind his apparently ‘crazy’ behaviour, but lack of experience certainly proved no hindrance to his success.
It sounds impossible, right?
To find a simplistic horse racing gambling system that gives you the hope of winning one million pounds with eleven bets.
Once I wrote an article about my good friend Eric Winner titled: The Millionaire Betting System. I was excited when the man himself detailed that he had found a system that he could use on Betfair betting exchange to make a fortune. He had paper trailed the system for months and it was proven. He invested in a bot to work automatically on the betting platform so he wouldn’t have to do any work. All he had to do was wait for the money to come pouring in.
I said: ‘I will give you the betting bank for nothing and we can go halves.’
He didn’t say anything.
Thank the Lord.
A month later, for whatever reason, the system wasn’t working – it had died a death.
I can’t quite remember the reason but Eric said something along the lines of espionage.
I didn’t realise it had anything to do with spies.
However, I’m sure there are people out there who have found a system which fill their pockets with gold.
There are many systems you hear about but how could you start with a betting bank of £500 and after eleven bets collect £1,024,000?
All you need to do is pick 11 winners priced at even money and you have done it.
In reality, picking eleven favourites to win isn’t impossible although difficult. But how would I, personally, go about picking those winners? I would do so by following my niche of two-year-old horse racing. I would wait for fields of 5 runners or less and those horses who have run multiple times on fast going. On average you are going to get half of the winners you need without any work. But you will need to have some skill to pick between the lines of the other six selections. But it isn’t impossible.
The problem with this system is that you are unlikely to bet such vast sums of money because by bet five you will be betting thousands. It’s part of the system. But I can tell you this much, even if you were convinced by bet eleven you would be a millionaire, you simply wouldn’t be able to bet about £500,000 on that last bet to secure the Million.
I guess what people need is a system where they simply bet £1 to win one million. In addition, a bet that means you can’t get out of the wager. We are talking a 20-horse accumulator.
The likelihood of this happening isn’t impossible but next to it.
Ask Eric Winner.
The millionaire betting system is yet to be found.
Unless, you know better.
Until February, 1983, Shergar was best known as a champion racehorse. Owned by the Aga Khan and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Shergar enjoyed a hugely successful three-year-old campaign, in which he won the Derby, by an unprecedented ten lengths, Irish Derby and King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. At the end of his racing career, in October, 1981, Shergar was syndicated for £10 million and sent to stand at Ballymany Stud, in Co. Kildare, Ireland.
However, less than two years later, on the evening of February 8, 1983, Shergar was abducted, along with Jim Fitzgerald, head groom at Ballymany Stud, by a group of armed, masked men and driven away in a horsebox. Fitzgerald was eventually released, four hours later and twenty miles or so away from Ballymany, but warned, upon pain of death, not to contact the Gardaí. Fitzgerald did contact stud manager Ghislain Drion who, in turn, attempted to contact the Aga Khan. It was not until eight hours after the event that the kidnapping was reported to the police service, by which time Shergar was long gone.
British horse racing journalists Derek Thompson, John Oaksey and Peter Campling were called in, at the behest of the kidnappers, to conduct ransom negotiations. However, a series of polaroid photographs of the head of a horse, alongside a copy of the ‘Irish News’, dated February 11, proved insufficient ‘proof of life’ for the owners. In any event, four days after the abduction, the kidnappers made a final telephone call, including the code phrase ‘King Neptune’ – which had earlier been given to Jim Fitzgerald – to inform negotiators that Shergar had died ‘in an accident’.
The only certainties are that Shergar was never seen alive again, his body has never been recovered and no arrests have ever been made in relation to his abduction. His fate remains an abiding mystery, subject to speculation and conjecture. The consensus, though, is that Shergar was kidnapped by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and machine gunned in a stable near Ballinamore in Co. Leitrim after injuring himself.
In 1995, Eric Cantona found himself embroiled in a momentous incident that left an indelible mark on football history. During a match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, Cantona, renowned for his brilliance on the pitch, succumbed to a moment of madness that shocked the sporting world.
Amidst heated exchanges at Selhurst Park, Cantona engaged in a verbal confrontation with a Crystal Palace supporter. Overwhelmed by frustration, he launched himself into the crowd, executing a kung fu-style kick at his heckler. The act of retaliation stunned spectators and players alike, resulting in Cantona’s immediate dismissal from the game.
The repercussions of Cantona’s actions were severe. Criminal charges for assault loomed over him, while football authorities swiftly imposed a lengthy ban. The Football Association (FA) handed down a nine-month suspension, effectively ending Cantona’s participation in the 1994-1995 season.
The consequences of Cantona’s ban extended beyond his personal predicament. Manchester United, a team heavily reliant on his influence, felt his absence acutely. Cantona had become the catalyst for their success, a figurehead of inspiration and leadership.
Yet, even in the face of adversity, Cantona’s impact remained profound. Upon his return the following season, he orchestrated a triumphant comeback, guiding Manchester United to another Premier League title. His resilience and unwavering determination captured the hearts of fans, solidifying his status as an enigmatic legend of the game.
The ban inflicted upon Eric Cantona in 1995 serves as a stark reminder of the intense emotions that can engulf the football pitch. While his actions were undeniably controversial and drew widespread criticism, they added a layer of complexity to Cantona’s enigmatic persona. His subsequent redemption and glorious resurgence epitomised his character and unmatched talent.
