Bad beat

A bad beat is a wager that appears to be a certain win but ends up losing. It is most frequently used to describe a team blowing a large lead, or a series of improbable last-minute scores that affect the spread or total.

Famous bad beats

Throughout history bad beats have been at the root of some of the most memorable gambling moments. Here is a collection of some infamous examples throughout history.

2012 Belk Bowl

Teams: Duke Blue Devils vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

Bad beat: Duke Blue Devils +9.5

Team		1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Total
	Cincinatti	3	14	10	21	48
	Duke	16	0	8	10	34

The Blue Devils opened the 2012 Belk Bowl with a 16-0 lead. As the game neared completion Duke found themselves in the Cincinnati red-zone with the score tied 34-34. Closing as +9.5 spread underdogs it seemed impossible for them not to cover. With 1:32 remaining on a 2nd & goal from the 5 yard line, Duke running back Josh Snead fumbled the ball after colliding with the back of Bearcats' defensive lineman Brandon Mills.

Even after the fumble it seemed inevitable that Duke would cover the spread. Four plays later Cincinnati tight end Travis Kelce scored an 83-yard touchdown on a pass from quarterback Brendon Kay. After the extra point Cincinnati lead 41-34 with 0:44 remaining. The Blue Devils were still covering.

And then suddenly they weren't.

With 0:27 remaining on a 1st & 10 from the Cincinnati 40 yard line, Duke quarterback Sean Renfree threw an interception under pressure which was returned for a 55 yard touchdown. The Bearcats went up 48-34 which was the final score, and one of sportsbetting's most infamous bad beats was cemented in history.

2014 Bahamas Bowl

Teams: Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Bad beat: Western Kentucky -3

Team		1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Total
	Central Michigan	7	7	0	34	48
	Western Kentucky	21	21	7	0	49

Western Kentucky dominating the game bringing a 49-14 lead into the fourth quarter. Central Michigan fired off four unanswered touchdowns narrowing the gap to 49-42 with 1:09 left. After forcing the Hilltoppers into a three-and-out, the Chippewas received the ball back on their own 25-yard line with 0:01 remaining. CMU quarterback Cooper Rush completed a 48-yard pass to wide receiver Jesse Kroll, who quickly lateraled the ball to tight end Deon Butler. Before being tackled Butler threw the ball back for receiver Courtney Williams, who again lateraled the ball to team mate Titus Davis. After a 17-yard sprint Davis dove for the end-zone pylon to complete one of the most memorable final drives in college football history.

Now trailing 49-48, Central Michigan elected to attempt the 2-point conversion instead of kicking the extra point for overtime. The conversion failed, further denying Western Kentucky -3 bettors a chance at covering in OT.