There is no shortage of ridiculous and weird bets, but some take betting to the extreme. While some people bet on the horses, a football team, or a rough hand at the poker tables, that comes nowhere near the level of weirdness some punters reach with betting. People see betting options everywhere, from celebrities’ lifestyles, politics and the stock exchange. There has been fascinating unusual bets throughout gambling history. We wouldn’t recommend any of the following bets, and when you read about them, you’ll understand why. Here are the most outlandish bets in history.
Man bets house and wife on Arsenal
Incredibly, an Arsenal fan staked his house and wife on an Arsenal victory against Manchester United. When United beat Arsenal by 1 – 0, it cost him his wife and home. Henry Dhabasani was convinced Arsenal would triumph against Man United when he bet with United fan Rashid Yiga, who bet his brand new Toyota Premio and his wife on a United victory. The bet was in Uganda and witnessed by tribal elders. Robbin Van Persie scored the Red Devils’ only goal at Old Trafford, and Rashid was the winner of house and wife!
Weather-girl strips naked on live TV
French weather-girl Doris Tillier was forced to strip naked on live TV after betting that the French national football team qualified for the Brazilian World Cup. Her unorthodox weather forecast was watched by millions, with Doris completely naked. The former model was 27 years old when she stripped off after the French team came back from the dead to qualify for the World Cup. Karim Benzema scored one goal, while Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho scored a brace to enable Didier Deschamps’ team to overcome a deficit of 2 -0 against Ukraine to book their place at the World Cup in dramatic style.
Writing a book in under 50 words
A publisher bet that his client wouldn’t be able to write a book in under 50 words. In 1960, Random House publisher’s co-founder Bennett Cerf made a bet against writer Theodore Geisel, who delivered the classic Green Eggs and Ham, under the now-famous pseudonym Dr. Seuss. Although Cerf never paid his due, Geisel made out fine!
Betting House and Life Savings on Roulette
Brit Ashley Revell made the outrageous bet in 2004 when he was 32 years old. He visited Las Vegas and staked everything he owned, including his life’s savings of US$135,300 on one spin of the roulette wheel. The casino cameras recorded the moment for the Double Or Nothing television show. To the horror of family and friends, he placed the bet on black, moving it to red at the last moment. Revell ended up winning and doubling his money in the process. He tipped the dealer $600, returned to the UK and started an internet poker site with the profits.
Russian Bets his Wife
Russian Andrei Karpov was bankrupted by his poker opponent Sergey Brodov in 2007. He put up his wife, Tatiana, as a stake! It is unclear if the wager was for one night of carnal pleasure or the actual marriage. His wife was so disgusted with him that she immediately left her husband for Brodov. She commented that it was humiliating and made her feel ashamed. She said she was pleased with Sergey, even though he won her in a poker game. Karpov was entirely cleaned out and went home single and poor!
Paranormal Challenge
Open skeptic and magician James Randi challenged all charlatans in the world that nobody could provide a sound study demonstrating proof that paranormal activity is a reality. He bet $1 million of his own money that no one could show under controlled conditions that paranormal activity occurs. No one has come forward with proof to this day.
John Travolta to be the Next James Bond
The bet had 1000 to 1 that John Travolta would be cast as the new Bond in 2014. There has long been speculation about the next James Bond. Idris Elba was at odds to become the next Bond for a while, but he now looks unlikely to fill Bond’s shoes and become the first black Bond. Other unusual bets for the next James Bond include 500 to 1 for George Clooney and 1000 to 1 for John Travolta!
The Size Of Donald Trump’s Manhood
Of all the outrageous bets on the list, this one takes the biscuit! Bookmakers were offering odds on the size of US President Donald Trump’s manhood. Yes, you read that, right! The odds ranged from 3/1 to 50/1. Before Trump became president, there were odds of 1000/1 on becoming the president. They got that one wrong! Novelty bettors are always looking for diverse markets, and none come as off-beat as the size of Trump’s manhood!