Some of the Most Ridiculous Prop Bets of All-Time

Bettors can find prop bets for virtually every sporting event listed on a betting board at any given sportsbook. Props are immensely popular and can make any sporting event more fun to watch. 

The fever for props started with Super Bowl prop bets back in the 1980s. Now, props are an every day market in all of the major sports. There are player props, team props, and more for just about anything listed on a daily sports schedule. 

Then, there are the absolutely most ridiculous proposition bets you have ever heard. That’s what we look at today.

Super Bowl XX Started It All

It was 1985 when the Chicago Bears put together one of the most dominant defensive performances in NFL history. The Bears would finish 15-1 and claim a Lombardi Trophy with a 46-10 demolition of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.

The Bears defense was led by the gritty defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan and one of their most enigmatic players was DT William “Refrigerator” Perry. Perry, of course, was a big dude, almost as big as a refrigerator.

“The Fridge,” as he was commonly known, was actually used by head coach Mike Ditka on offense during the regular season. He was a 350-pound lead blocker but also scored two rushing touchdowns and caught a pass for another score.

While it seemed gimmicky at the time, one sportsbook decided to offer bets on whether or not Perry would score a touchdown in Super Bowl XX. The odds were +2000. It was viewed by many as crazy to think Perry would actually score a touchdown in a Super Bowl. Those crazy enough received a nice payoff when Perry jammed the ball into the end zone on a one-yard plunge in the third quarter.

That single touchdown helped transform sport betting. The prop bets era had just begun.

Super Bowl Props

Every year, the list of Super Bowl props grows. The game’s props are becoming commonplace. Every year, bettors will wager on the length of the national anthem before the game. Performers always put their own spin on the song.

Typically, the time is set around 2:00. This year at Super Bowl LVII, Chris Stapleton performed and the bet opened at O/U 121.5 seconds with odds of -115 on each side of the wager. 

Each year, it seems the list of Super Bowl props continues to grow. Some of the more common wild wagers include a bet on the length of the national anthem. 

The bet is an Over/Under wager on the amount of time the song will last. Every year, a different performer does the song. Each puts his or her own spin on the anthem. Some will slow down the tempo or include spots where they stretch out notes. 

The time is typically set around 2:00. Super Bowl LVII, for example, saw the bet open at 121.5 seconds with odds of -115 on each side. Stapleton’s rendition of the song lasted exactly 121 seconds. 

Another common wager on the NFL’s big game is the color of Gatorade that will get dumped on the head coach of the winning team. This year, bettors were offered the following odds from BetOnline.ag:

Yellow/Green +110

Orange +180

Blue +550

Red/Pink +550

Clear +1000

Purple +1000

When Kansas City head coach Andy Reid got soaked by purple Gatorade, purple bettors was obviously thrilled.

But, what about those crazy prop bets?

Amarillo Slim Prop Bets

You may have never heard of Thomas Preston. It’s likely you don’t know his alter ego, Amarillo Slim, either. Slim was a well-known gambler who won the World Series of Poker back in 1972. He was also known for some of his outrageous prop bets.

Famous tennis player Bobby Riggs was once propositioned by Slim to play a game of table tennis. Of course, there was a wager and a stipulation – both players had to play the game using skillets. 

Then, there was the time Slim bet legendary daredevil Evel Knievel. The challenge was a round of golf. Slim would choose the clubs. He ended up winning the round…using a hammer!

Slim’s most famous prop bet came when he challenged the famous racehorse, Seabiscuit (yes, the same Seabiscuit from the movie). Slim bet that he could beat the horse in a 100-yard race and Slim would pick the course.

A 100-yard course was chosen, but it was only 50 yards long. The participants would have to race 50 yards, turn around, and race back 50 yards to the finish. While Seabiscuit and his jockey were busy figuring out how to turn around, Slim was winning another bet!

Who Will Be the Next Pope?

There are odds available on the next pope. The current pope, Pope Francis is 86 years old. He’s in pretty good shape, but it never hurts to think ahead. There are the favorites:

• Cardinal Peter Turkson +300
• Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle +400
• Cardinal Marc Ouellet +600

And, then there is the longshot:  Bono at +5000. Yeah, that Bono. As in U2 Bono. 

The Boobie Bet

If you haven’t heard of Amarillo Slim, it’s probably a good bet that you never heard of Brian Zembic either. You may have heard of his legendary prop bet though.

Zembic is a magician by trade. He also happens to be a high-stakes gambler. He accepted a bet to sleep in New York City’s Central Park with $20,000 stuffed in his pockets. He won, of course.

Then, in 1996, he accepted one of the most ridiculous proposition bets on record. Zembic would receive $100,000 if he would get C-cup breast implants. Even wilder, Zembic won the cost of the operation ($4,500) by winning a game of backgammon. Under the terms of the bet, Zembic would also receive $10,000 for every year he kept the implants. After $200,000, he had them removed in 2016.