Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? Everyone does, except the team or player who comes up short. Underdogs are part of the sporting world’s unpredictable edge, making sports a riveting experience for billions of people worldwide.
When you consider Rocky Balboa’s immortal legacy and story, it becomes clear how much we all truly enjoy the idea of somebody battling against the odds.
Identifying a big sporting upset can be an expensive night for the sportsbooks, and it can cause great admiration for sports bettors who have successfully managed to call it.
We must stress that the likelihood of this is extremely slim, and while there might be a significant number of scores and odds you can find online, identifying which one could cause an upset is a highly challenging task.
However, when it does happen, it grabs headlines worldwide and is etched into sports folklore forever. All the stories we will touch on today were considerable in their time and continue to act as some of the greatest underdog stories and some sore sports for the sportsbooks.
1. Buster Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson – 1990
Boxing has been the backdrop for many of the greatest sporting upsets ever. Perhaps none were more remarkable than the 42/1 shot James “Buster” Douglas had to knock out “the worst man on the planet” in Tokyo in 1990.
At the peak of his powers, Tyson was considered unbeatable as the premier heavyweight on the planet. He was beginning a career that could have made him one of the greatest fighters of all time.
If social media had existed back then, we can only imagine the uproar that would have ensued as millions of people watched Iron Mike succumb to such an unknown quantity.
This fight kicked off the beginning of the end for Tyson, who never reached anywhere near his maximum potential — losing to all the genuinely legendary fighters he fought in his era.
While his upcoming bout against YouTuber Jake Paul is unlikely to see the near 60-year-old wind back the years, it will probably be less of an upset if he does to Jake Paul what Buster Douglas did to him all those years ago.
2. Leicester City wins the 2016 Premier League
Undeniably the most significant sporting upset in soccer history, Leicester won its first top-flight title in over 130 years. Clocking in at odds of around 5,000/1 at the beginning of the season, the Midlands club dominated from the start.
Despite many fans and analysts believing they would eventually slow down, they won the league by an astonishing 10 points. Some key names who played such a vital role included Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, and N’Golo Kante, cementing themselves into the history of English soccer.
Ultimately, it wasn’t the start of a dynasty at Leicester, with many of the teams disbanding and moving on to make big money moves to teams such as Chelsea and Manchester City.
While club legend Jamie Vardy still captains The Foxes in the second tier, it’s a season that no soccer fan will forget. No other sporting outcome in history has ever beaten such high odds, and it’s unlikely it will ever happen again.
3. Greece wins Euro 2004
Greece exploded onto the international soccer scene and disappeared just as quickly. In their only significant European triumph, the 150/1 underdogs fought off spirited knock-out tests against defending champions France and a Portuguese team that included a young Cristiano Ronaldo.
While Leicester’s victory was far less likely and occurred over 38 games, Greece’s Euro 2004 win remains the greatest outright upset in an international football tournament, with the chances of it happening again extremely slim.
At a time when Greek society was going through a turbulent patch, the incredible, unlikely success of the national team is something an entire generation of Greek soccer fans can still vividly recall two decades later.
4. Japan beats South Africa 2015
The Springboks are a formidable rugby name, and going into this 2015 World Cup game, they were considered firm favorites. Japan went into the match at 500/1, among the highest odds ever offered for a team going into a single game in any World Cup.
Following a gripping encounter, the Japanese team clinched the historic 34-32 win with seconds left on the clock. Arguably, it remains the best Japanese sporting performance of the 21st century and made headlines worldwide.
Conclusion
These awe-inspiring underdog victories remind us that in sports, anything is possible, and the thrill of the unexpected is what keeps fans coming back.
Each story, from Douglas’s knockout punch to Leicester’s fairy tale triumph, showcases the power of determination and the unpredictable nature of competition. These moments not only become legendary tales but also inspire future generations to dream big and challenge the odds.
