Bad Beats of 2013
Rehashing bad beats is a gambling tradition as old as time. Those of us that have been involved in this business are quick to remember the circus finishes and improbable outcomes when our sure fire winning bets are blown to pieces in a game's final minutes. The more bettors you talk to the bad beat phenomenon will amaze you; gamblers are apt to remember their misfortune rather than their biggest successes.
For that reason and that one alone I deferred to you, the fan, for your top MOOSE jobs this college football season. For college football fans new to the MOOSE, the gambling term gets its origin from a famous poster at a prominent posting forum years ago. The true definition is hotly debated however I’ll contend it’s apropos given the moose feels like you're being trampled on by the gambling gods, squeezing every bit of life out of you when it hurts the most. Before revisiting this list grab an adult beverage, surround yourself with loved ones, and reminisce about the bets that went awry this season. Rather than rank them (you’ll be inundated with top 10 lists if you aren't already), here’s your compilation although we know Ohio St vs Northwestern was the absolute worst ending college football had to offer this season.
Ohio st vs Northwestern (NU +6.5/+7)
Flip to the 3:36 mark on the link and you can see what it looks like to be kicked in the groin as a bettor. Northwestern never found themselves outside the number (+7/+6.5) the entire game. Those betting OSU probably had discarded their tickets thinking it would take divine intervention to get to the window. Let’s just say this bad beat was so bad Northwestern never recovered the rest of the season going from dark horse conference contender to staying home for the holidays.
Don't believe in brutal finishes? Just Watch
Duke vs NCSU Total (Under 57.5)
Ah yes, what better feeling than sitting on a ticket Under 57.5 when you’re headed into the 4th quarter in a 17-13 game. If that wasn’t good enough, the first 8 minutes run off the clock in the 4th with neither offense sniffing the endzone. Then it happened, like a train off the tracks the under train went completely off the track.
This happened…
and this…
then the cherry on top…
Auburn vs Georgia (UGA +3.5/+4)
As if every college football fan doesn’t remember this play imagine how bettors sitting on UGA +4 felt about this absurd finish. It's difficult trying to recreate the moose impact here considering Georgia bettors looked dead in the water as the clock ticked down in the 4th quarter. However, thanks to Aaron Murray's heroics UGA bettors had life! Oh Contraire, not against 2013’s team of destiny.
As if you haven't seen this play enough...
Special thanks to
@ryanward949 for this picture that spoke 1,000 words
Alabama vs Kentucky Total ( Under 53.5)
There’s a reason under bettors can never breathe easy until the clock hits triple zero. This fateful Saturday night in Lexington proved just that when you consider 15 minutes into the contest the score board showed zeroes. Alabama had other plans as far as the total was concerned scoring 41 points themselves over the next 35 minutes. However under bettors could have lived with all of that Bama offense if it wasn’t for the game's final drive with the outcome long since decided.
An Under is never a winner until the game is over
Alabama vs Texas A&M (Alabama -7.5)
The GAME OF THE YEAR and one of the biggest backdoors you’ll see with so much money changing hands around the key number of 7. Kudos to Johnny Football, he may not have brought home the victory but he took home the cash for everyone sitting on an Aggies ticket…that’s why they play 60 minutes not just 59:44.
Washington St vs Colorado St (Washington St -4.5)
I don’t need words to describe the way this game ended, there simply aren't words for it.
Honorable mentions: Oklahoma/Oklahoma St Under 55.5 and Texas Tech +28.5 vs Baylor