3 biggest NFL wagers that earned fans millions of dollars

The NFL has shifted its stance on gambling over the last few years. They used to publicly oppose anything related to gambling in their games, but have now partnered with sports books to help them promote the industry. While NFL players are banned from wagering on any game, the league encourages fans to explore responsible sports gambling.

While gambling has only been legal in some areas of the country, such as Las Vegas in Nevada, many other states have now shifted towards legalizing sports betting. This change in culture and stigma around gambling in sports has transformed the concept from shady to mainstream.

Sports gambling is a multi-billion dollar industry with millions of dollars changing hands every day. The NFL is the most heavily bet on sport in the US by a significant margin, especially for the annual Super Bowl.

Here are three of the largest reported individual NFL wagers that resulted in a massive payday.

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#3 Birdman wins $1 million NFL bet on Super Bowl XLV

Hip Hop recording artist Birdman

Birdman is a successful hip hop recording artist and the co-founder of the Cash Money Records label. He reportedly bet a million dollars on the Green Bay Packers to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.

It happened to be Aaron Rodgers' first and only Super Bowl ring of his NFL career so far and Birdman cashed in on his performance. He reportedly only made the wager because his friend and co-worker Lil Wayne is a big Packers fan.

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#2 Mattress Mack bets $3.46 million on Super Bowl LV

Jim McIngvale aka Mattress Mack

Jim McIngvale, better known as Mattress Mack, has become a sports betting legend. The Houston furniture store owner is notorious for placing multi-million dollar wagers on several sports, including NFL games.

Mack made headlines this year when he lost nearly $10 million as the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

One of his biggest ever winning bets was when he backed Tom Brady to win his seventh ring in Super Bowl LV. He cashed in on an incredible $3.46 million ticket when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.

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#1 Billy Walters bets $3.5 million on Super Bowl XLIV

Billy Walters was a very successful gambler. [Casino.org]

Billy Walters is a famous sports bettor as well as an entrepreneur within the gambling industry. He is regarded as one of the most successful sports handicappers in the country, regularly winning massive wagers worth up to seven figures.

His largest reported win of all time was when he bet $3.5 million on Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints to upset Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. The underdogs came away with the victory and Walters cashed in on a multi-million dollar ticket.