Bookies win big ($64M big) following blown call at end of SD-Pitt game

This story came to us from alert reader Rick Stoppe, through a press release sent to him and attributed to R.J. Bell of something called Pregame.com.

 

Apparently, bettors lost about $64 million thanks to an errant officials' decision at the end of the San Diego-Pittsburgh game. 

 

The Chargers, trailing 11-10 on the last play of the game, attempted a number of laterals in the hopes of scoring a freak TD from deep within Pittsburgh territory. But Steelers DB Troy Polamalu pounced on the ball and raced into the end zone for an apparent TD as time expired.

 

However officials ruled an illegal forward pass against the Chargers and took the TD off the board. Game over.

 

After the game, officials said they made a mistake.

 

The mistake didn't change the outcome of the game. But it did change the outcome for millions of gamblers, according to Bell. The Steelers, 5-point favorites, won 11-10 instead of 17-10.

 

"An estimated 100 million dollars was wagered worldwide on the Pittsburgh/San Diego game. Approximately 66 percent of that money was on the Steelers; with only 34 percent on the Chargers," said Bell.

 

"If the touchdown was properly upheld, Steelers bettors would have won about 32 million dollars instead of losing big. This admittedly incorrect call resulted in a 64 million dollar swing in favor of the bookies."