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What Does ‘Longshot’ Mean in Sports Betting?

what-does-longshot-mean

A “longshot” is a bet that is very unlikely to win, but pays out a massive amount of money if it does.

It’s the ultimate “high-risk, high-reward” wager. You’re betting on a massive underdog, a “David vs. Goliath” scenario.

You’re not expecting to win, but you’re betting a small amount for the chance to win a huge, life-changing payout.

How to Spot a Longshot

Look for huge “plus” odds (+). The bigger the number, the bigger the longshot.

  • A regular underdog might be +150.
  • A big underdog might be +400.
  • A longshot is +1000, +5000, or even more.

Famous Longshot Examples

  • Futures Bets (Most Common):
    • Leicester City winning the English Premier League (2016): The odds at the start of the season were 5000-1. A $10 bet would have paid out $50,000.
    • A 150-1 (or +15000) futures bet on a team to win the Super Bowl before the season starts.
  • Single-Game Bets:
    • Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson (1990): Douglas was a 42-1 (+4200) longshot.
    • The “Miracle on Ice” (1980): The US Men’s Hockey team was a 1000-1 (+100000) longshot to beat the Soviet Union.
  • Horse Racing:
    • Any horse with odds like 50-1 or 80-1 is a longshot. This is where the term came from, as a “long shot” was a horse that was hard to hit.