The Preakness odds are now more interesting than ever after Rich Strike came out of nowhere to stun everyone and win the Kentucky Derby. Rich Strike was one of the biggest underdog winners of all-time, and it came in a sport that doesn’t always see shocking results.
The win by Rich Strike was shocking, but it wouldn’t even make the top-20 list in terms of all-time upsets. Upsets and stunning victories are what make the world of sports so special, and there have been some great ones over the years.
Some of these events would have resulted in massive payouts for anyone that took them at BetUS back in the day. Here are seven of the biggest upsets of all time, and it’s hard to argue with these being included on the list.
7. Jets Stun the Colts
You have to travel all the way back to 1969 for the first game on the list, and this upset took place on the game’s biggest stage. The New York Jets stunned the Baltimore Colts back in Super Bowl III, and it remains one of the most stunning Super Bowl wins of all-time.
The biggest story surrounding this game was the fact that Joe Namath guaranteed a win, but people forget how lopsided this game was supposed to be. Namath made good on his promise and found a way to do just enough to guide his team past the favored Colts.
6. “Phi Slamma Jamma” Falls
The Houston Cougars looked poise to win the 1983 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and it seemed like nothing could stop them. When it became N.C. State that advanced to the title game as well, everyone was even more certain of a Houston win.
What transpired in the title game was not what anyone expected, and N.C. State actually had the ball in the final seconds with a chance to win the game. An air-ball shot, followed by a miracle tip-in, gave the Wolf Pack the title and sent the Houston Cougars home in disappointing fashion.
5. Patriots Upset By Giants
A majority of the games/events on this list took place before BetUS was able to offer betting on them, but that’s not the case with this game. The New York Giants actually stunned the New England Patriots twice in the Super Bowl, but the game in 2008 was the bigger surprise.
New England came into the Super Bowl that season with a record of 18-0, and they were just one win away from perfection. The New York Giants were nearly perfect on this day, and they were able to come away with a 17-14 victory.
4. Upset Knocks Off Man O’ War
The biggest horse racing upset of all time came in 1919 as the mighty horse Man O’ War suffered its only loss. Upset was the name of the horse that finished ahead of Man O’ War at the Sanford Memorial, and there couldn’t have been a more fitting name.
Man O’ War is widely considered one of the best horses of all-time, and he won 20 of 21 races in his career. If it weren’t for Upset, Man O’ War could have finished his career with a perfect record.
3. Tyson Falls to Douglas
Boxing is a sport that has seen plenty of upsets over the years, but the biggest upset in boxing history occurred in 1990 at a fight in Tokyo. Mike Tyson was the best boxer in the world, and he looked to be the best of all-time as well.
Into the ring stepped Buster Douglas and he wasted little time in proving that he belonged. Not only did Douglas prove he could compete with Tyson, but he ended up winning this fight by a knockout.
Douglas was a massive underdog in this fight and it will go down as one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
2. Villanova Over Georgetown
The NCAA basketball tournament is known for upsets so it’s no surprise to see two games on this list. While the N.C. State win over Houston was a big upset, it wasn’t nearly as big as the Villanova Wildcats taking down the Georgetown Hoyas in the 1984 title game.
Georgetown was not only so much better than Villanova in 1984, but the Hoyas were so much better than nearly every team in the country. The Wildcats simply wouldn’t miss in this game, and it took a 75 percent shooting night from the field just to win the game by two points.
1. U.S. Hockey Over Soviet Union
There really is no other option when it comes to the biggest upset of all time, and nearly every single sports fan knows about this game. The Soviet Union hockey team was absolutely unbeatable heading into the 1980 Winter Olympics, and teams couldn’t even find a way to compete.
On a magical night in Lake Placid, the U.S. team made up of college hockey players put together a nearly perfect game to stun the mighty Soviets. This game is known as the “Miracle on Ice,” and it’s hard to come up with a more perfect nickname.
