Delaware gambler misses $100K payday on Eagles’ win

A three point Colts win was all that separated a Delaware bettor from a $100,000 win, but that was spoiled by the Eagles come from behind win on Monday Night Football.

At halftime, it sure looked like Delaware would have to payout a $100,000 prize to one gambler. The unnamed bettor had picked 14 out of 15 games as of Monday night, and only needed the Colts to win by a field goal to collect his massive payday.

“It definitely looked like Delaware had a winner when the Colts were up by 14 midway through the third quarter,” said Delaware Lottery Director Vernon Kirk. “Then to have the Eagles rally like that – and to win in the last three seconds of the game – it was agonizing to watch when you knew one player was so close to such a big payout.”

Philadelphia trailed 17-6 at halftime, but thanks to a pair of turnovers by the Colts, the Eagles were able to mount a comeback and won 30-27.

There were 4,500 $5 parlay cards purchased for week two of the NFL season. The odds against a winner selecting all 15 games correctly are 32,000 to 1. 

Delaware Finance Secretary Tom Cook said the $5 parlay card is a very popular wager among the state’s sports betting offerings. “With so many people only a game or two away so often, we’re pretty sure someone is going to win the $100,000 again soon. It’s just a matter of who and when.“

In 2011, a football fan from Camden won the $100,000 prize, thanks in part to an Eagles’ win over Washington.

Sports betting has been on the rise in Delaware. Nearly 1.3 million wagers were made during the 2013 NFL season, with a total of $13 million played. That resulted in about $900,000 in commission for retailers, nearly double the numbers from the 2012 season. That year, there were more than 638,000 wagers totalling $6.3 million played. Retail commissions for 2012 were approximately $605,000.

Delaware could be facing competition for those sports betting dollars from New Jersey after Gov. Chris Christie’s directive to allow sports betting at casinos and racetracks. A court challenge by professional and collegiate sports leagues is possible — but Christie is relying on the state attorney general’s finding that the move is legal.