Weird Wagers: 7 Odd Bets in Football and Tennis

Do you think you’re a true sports fan? See what these people were willing to risk in order to show their dedication.

It seems like the habit of placing the occasional wager dates back to ancient times, but the world has sure seen some strange bets since then. Of course, nowadays people prefer to do this via online sportsbooks or mobile betting apps, but apart from that, little has changed.

People are gambling more than ever and wagers are getting odder and odder, and Liverpool fan Tom Pound, who made a bet with his fiancée Kylie Brinkley to tattoo the Liver Bird on his privates if the football team takes top place in the Premier League, is just one example.

Let’s dive right in, shall we? Here are some of the weirdest wagers covered by international sports betting news.

1. Wife Staked on Man U – House Lost on Arsenal

   Football fans are known to take their love for the sport too far sometimes, and this was exactly what happened with two supporters from Uganda. Henry Dhabasani, a fan of Arsenal, staked his house in a bet against Manchester United supporter Rashid Yiga, hoping that his favorite team would win. The latter entered the wager with an even higher stake: his Toyota Premio and… his wife.

   The bet was witnessed by tribal elders and was put in writing, so when it turned out that Dhabasani was wrong, the man fainted at the thought of losing his two-room house. Dhabasani, who has three wives and five children, was evicted the day after the game.

   World’s first “space bet”

   David Threlfall made betting history after placing a GBP 10 wager at odds of 1,000/1 that man would walk on any planet by January 1970. This was the first officially recorded “space bet” and it led to an avalanche of wagers placed on the same event.

   When Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon on July 21, 1969, Threlfall instantly became GBP 10,000 richer. Bookmaker William Hill eventually ended up paying out over GBP 50,000 on the event.

2. Man Drink His Urine After Houston Texan Win

   Last September, a man who posts under the name Bullzonparade, vowed that he would drink his own urine if his favorite team – the Houston Texans – won against the San Diego Chargers. Much to his surprise, the team did manage to win, so the guy filmed himself drinking a cup full of urine and posted the video on YouTube. Of course, he later claimed it was all a stunt, hoping to clear his tainted image.

3. Doris Tillier Gets Naked After France Qualifies for World Cup

   Every guy was already secretly imagining French weather girl Doris Tillier naked, but no one really thought they would actually end up seeing the ex-model broadcasted like that, live on TV. How did she end up stripping in front of an audience? By losing a bet, of course.

   The 27-year-old said she would present the weather naked if her country’s national football team France managed to qualify for the World Cup. And much to the delight of thousands of viewers watching Canal+, they did!

4. Bosnian Man Walk 500 Miles After Bayern Munich win Champion’s League

   In July 2013, Bosnian football fan Vahid Cehaja took his longest walks ever after losing a bet. He promised that, if his team Bayern Munich managed to win the 2012/13 Champion’s League, he would take a special pilgrimage, from his hometown of Bugojno to the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
   The man lost the wager, but he kept his word and walked 500 miles through Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and Germany, all the while wearing a Bayern Munich shirt and baseball cap. Gives a whole new meaning to the famous song by the Proclaimers (“I Would Walk 500 Miles”), doesn’t it?

5. Brit Tattoos Any Murray’s Face on his Butt Cheek

   Britain might be famous for many things, but tennis is not one of them. So Will Hirons felt pretty secure when he tweeted that he would get a tattoo of Andy Murray’s face across his butt cheek if the Scottish tennis player won against Novak Djokovic.
   This marked Britain’s first victory in the men’s singles in 77 years, but it was a memorable day for Will Hirons too. “I’m a man of my word. It’s a reminder of a proud moment. My girlfriend thinks I am a prat, he tweeted.

6. Englishman Gets a Tatto of WALES on his Back

   A great supporter of England, John Adams was so convinced that Wales would not take the title at the rugby Grand Slam in 2012, that he was willing to make a risky bet and promised to get a tattoo celebrating the Welsh team it turned out he was wrong. The man ended up getting “Wales Grand Slam Champions 2012” tattooed on his back.
   “I literally curled up with my head in my hands and asked myself what on earth was I thinking. It looks nice, it’s just a shame I’m English. It would be a great tattoo for a Welshman,” he commented.

7. ManU Fan gets ManCity Tatto on Chest

   Rodney Ward wanted to prove just how big of a Manchester City fan he was, so he made a bet with his Manchester United supporting friend Paul Madden that City would win the 2010-2011 Premier League season. Much to his disappointment, he ended up with his rival’s crest tattooed on his chest.

It looks like some people live for sports and are willing to do anything to prove that they are true fans. How far would you go to show your support for your favorite team?