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David Purdum, ESPN Staff WriterDec 8, 2024, 06:32 PM ET
- Joined ESPN in 2014
- Journalist covering gambling industry since 2008
One of the largest bets ever reported on an NFL regular-season game — $3.1 million to win over $442,000 on the Philadelphia Eagles — was in jeopardy until the last minute Sunday and had to survive a potential go-ahead touchdown pass that was dropped on the underdog Carolina Panthers‘ final drive.
An unidentified bettor in Kentucky placed the money-line bet on the Eagles at odds of -700 with sportsbook Circa Sports on Thursday. It was the largest bet the sportsbook had ever taken, according to Circa owner Derek Stevens, and wouldn’t be decided until late in the fourth quarter.
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With the Eagles leading 22-16 with three minutes to play, Carolina quarterback Bryce Young led the Panthers on a 13-play drive that started at their 3-yard line. Young appeared to connect with receiver Xavier Legette on a 32-yard pass to the goal line, but the pass was ruled incomplete. Replays showed the ball slipping through Legette’s hands and hitting the turf. A touchdown would have tied the score with a go-ahead extra point pending and 45 seconds to play.
Philadelphia survived, and the bettor won a net $442,857 off the $3.1 million wager.
Stevens told ESPN on Sunday that the sportsbook was able attract a lot of bets on the Panthers to mitigate the big wager.
“We got a lot of buyback on Carolina, but what was crazy, we had a lot of people pile onto the Eagles,” Stevens told ESPN in a text message. “At kickoff, Circa Sports needs Carolina for a little bit. Ended up playing out OK.”
