***Update*** Last night the Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 99-76, easily covering the 7 point spread and therefore making Floyd Mayweather $6 million richer today!
Floyd Mayweather is no stranger to placing big bets on sporting events. He has gained considerable fame not just for his boxing prowess but also for his high-stakes gambling. On platforms like Twitter and Instagram, Floyd frequently shares images of himself surrounded by large sums of cash from his successful bets or flaunting winning tickets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, he seems to shy away from showcasing any losing tickets. Despite his public persona, Floyd's betting record is not as flawless as his boxing achievements. He acknowledges that while he does experience losses, he consistently comes out ahead overall. In fact, in 2012, Floyd reported a profit of $4.3 million from sports betting alone.
Recently, for a pivotal NBA playoff Game 7, rumors circulated that Floyd has wagered an astonishing $5.9 million on the Miami Heat, expecting them to beat the Indiana Pacers with a -7 point spread. This bet nearly doubles his previous record for a single wager and likely stands as one of the largest individual sports bets ever placed. Throughout the year, Floyd engages in various bets, ranging from college football to the NBA and even boxing matches. His typical wager hovers around $100,000 to $200,000, but on special occasions, he aims much higher. For instance, during the 2012 NFL playoffs, he won $1 million on a single AFC title game but subsequently lost it when the Patriots fell to the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.
Floyd's betting history includes a remarkable $1.9 million win on a regular-season Clippers NBA game and a previous record of a $3 million bet on his hometown Michigan Wolverines football team against Alabama in August 2012, which unfortunately ended in a 44-14 loss for him. To navigate the betting landscape efficiently, Floyd often employs a team of assistants and family members to help disperse his bets across multiple casinos and sportsbooks, ensuring no single establishment takes on too much risk.
To win his latest bet, the Miami Heat must beat the Pacers by at least 8 points. A victory by 7 would result in a push (a return of the bet), while a win by 6 would lead to a loss. With a money line of 105, should he win, his $5.9 million bet could yield a profit of $5.6 million. This substantial wager reflects a significant moment in sports betting history, comparable to the losses incurred by other celebrities like Birdman, who lost $5 million on the Patriots in the same Super Bowl and $2 million on the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA finals. As the betting world watches, it remains uncertain whether Birdman has placed any bets on tonight's game, hinting that he might have learned from his past mistakes.
Floyd Mayweather / Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Birdman & Lil Wayne Courtside /Doug Benc/Getty Images
