10 Greatest Finishes to Sporting Events
Sport is at its best when it goes down to the wire. Getting involved in online sports betting is all the more interesting when you're kept on the edge of your seat. Below are some of the best football betting, cricket betting and horse race betting finishes as well as nail biters from the Olympics, golf and rowing that had online sports betting fans unsure of the result until the very final moments and often saw the sport bet favourites defeated in the last throws of the contest.
1. Arsenal Win The 1989 League Title
In what is arguably the greatest ever finish to a league season, Arsenal snatched the title from Liverpool with virtually the last kick of the league season leaving many in the world of football betting and certainly many Liverpool fans absolutely stunned. The Gunners had the league title within their grasp before stumbling in the final few games, losing to Derby and drawing against Wimbledon, attracting a flurry of sport bet action as punters tried to predict who might snatch the title. They were left with the unenviable task of needing to beat the defending Champions Liverpool at Anfield by 2 or more goals as the two top teams in the country met on the final day of the league season. Liverpool were unbeaten all season and had not conceded 2 goals at home or lost by 2 goals at Anfield leaving them as firm favourites at UK football betting shops up and down the country. Arsenal could have been backed at 20/1 to win the game 2-0. Liverpool had also won the FA Cup, meaning they had the chance of a historic second Double.
After a goalless first half, Alan Smith scored soon after the restart, heading in a free kick from Nigel Winterburn to give Arsenal some belief that the title might still be possible. However, nobody could have predicted what was to follow.
With the clock ticking down, commentator David Pleat remarked that although Arsenal would not win the title, there was some justice that they will still win the game. Steve McMahon walked around the pitch telling his players that there was only 1 minute to go holding up his finger in the iconic pose that all soccer betting fans remember.
Arsenal however had other ideas and in injury time, in their last attack, Michael Thomas burst through the midfield, ran onto a Smith flick-on and stabbed low past Bruce Grobbelaar to score Arsenal's second, and win the title on goals scored, Arsenal's first in eighteen years.
Fancy Arsenal to win this years title? You can bet on football and a wide range of other sports including online greyhound betting, horse race betting, rugby league betting and more at Blue Square. Blue Square is the home of online sports betting UK.
2. Liverpool vs. West Ham - 2006 F.A. Cup Final
The 2006 F.A. Cup final will go down as one of the most exciting finals in soccer betting history. Liverpool met West Ham at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium with the Reds listed by most online betting sites as odds on favourites at 2/5 to lift the trophy. However, the Hammers had other ideas and started like an express train going two goals ahead inside 28 minutes thanks to an own goal from Jamie Carragher and a Dean Ashton strike. Djibril Cisse pulled one back on 32 minutes and when Steven Gerrard levelled the game just short of the hour, the pendulum looked like it had swung firmly back towards Liverpool.
However, Paul Konchesky's cross-come-shot looked to have won the cup for West Ham. That was until Gerrard drilled in a stunning 30 yard strike with virtually the last kick of the game to take the match into extra time. During the game, Benitez's men had gone out to 8/1 to win the trophy but were still being backed by a flurry of online soccer betting and at 2-0 down they were still only at 3/1. Liverpool were eventually victorious in a penalty shoot-out just like there had been 12 months previously in Istanbul against AC Milan in the Champions League final.
Who will win this years FA Cup? Online Soccer betting is easy at Blue Square. You can bet on football and a wide range of other sports. UK Rugby Betting is available alongside UK greyhound betting and online golf betting. Why not try online soccer betting to try and predict the winner of the next FA cup?
3. England v Australia - 2nd test 2005
The 2005 Ashes series had everything and is one of the most competitive and fascinating series' in recent history attracting feverous online cricket betting. The 2nd Test at Edgbaston epitomised everything that the sport represents and it had everything that you could want from a Test Match - It was arguably the greatest test match of all time.
Australia were chasing a ground record of 282 to win the Test and go 2-0 up in the series but stumbled to 175 for 8 - still 107 runs short of victory. Many punters went straight to Blue Square to place an in running sport bet before Australia attempted a comeback! Shane Warne and Brett Lee put on 45 for the 9th wicket before Warne trod on his stumps leaving the Aussies in hugely improbable 62 for victory with only 1 wicket in tact. Lee continued his onslaught with Michael Kasprowicz his new partner who was dropped by Simon Jones off the bowling of Andrew Flintoff on 267 for 9. It looked like Australia were going to hold on and pick up an incredible victory and in tern, an almost unassailable 2-0 series lead but with only 2 runs needed, Kasprowicz gloved a short ball from Steve Harmison down the leg-side where Geraint Jones took a tumbling catch to start wild celebrations.
England went out to 12/1 to win the Ashes after losing the first Test and went out even further to 16/1 in-running during the second Test. Australia were 2 runs away from going 2-0 up in the series but Harmison produced 1 more moment of magic and the rest as they say, is history!
Cricket Betting online is available at Blue Square the best site for sports betting UK. Try online golf betting or have a flutter with horse race betting. Cricket betting online is available all year round, covering all the major competitions like the ICC trophy, World Cup and of course the Ashes.
4. Ernie Els' 2002 Open victory - Sudden Death Play-Off
In 2002 Ernie Els beat Thomas Levet in a dramatic sudden death play-off at Muirfield; Els was at 12/1 before the tournament began but most online betting sites had Levet at 200/1 so shrewd punters were cheering on the Frenchman. The pair played the 18th hole three times in the day after finishing all-square from 18 regulation holes and a four play-off holes.
Els' win was his 3rd Major victory and some have described the 2002 Open as one of golf's most thrilling finishes of all time. It was certainly one of the busiest afternoons for online golf betting at Blue Square that year.
Whether it's the Ryder Cup or US Masters online golf betting is available online at Blue Square for all the major competitions. Tennis betting, rugby betting, football betting and cricket betting are all available now. Place a sport bet today at Blue Square.
5. 2003 Rugby World Cup
England were one of the favourites going into the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia with UK rugby betting punters backing them down to 6/4 but nobody could have written the script better than how the final actually panned out.
Martin Johnson captained England to victory against the Aussies - the first team from the northern hemisphere to win the world title. With seconds left of extra time, Jonny Wilkinson, England's talisman throughout the tournament, kicked a drop goal to take the game by 20 points to 17.
Whether it's rugby league betting or rugby union, online sports betting is easy at Blue Square. You can also bet on horse racing, online football betting, UK greyhound betting or tennis betting. At Blue Square it's quick and easy to place a sport bet.
6. 1973 National - Red Rum won first of 3 Nationals and Crisp
The 1973 Grand National is probably the most replayed horse race in television history. Few who tuned in on the last Saturday in March will ever forget the race - it was pure sporting drama, played out over four and a half miles, over thirty formidable fences. Top class chaser Crisp carried top weight in the 1973 Grand National, and his bold jumping, front-running style ensured the ex-Australian star was well clear of his field for most of the race leading horse betting punters who had backed him thinking they had made a wise sport bet. Legendary race commentator Peter O'Sullevan took up the microphone as the leaders turned for home...
"Crisp is still well clear in the 1973 Grand National and this great Australian chaser Crisp with twelve stone on his back and ten stone five on the back of Red Rum, who's chasing him and they look to have it absolutely to themselves. At the second last... Crisp is over. And clear of Red Rum who's jumping it a long way back. In third is Spanish Steps then Hurricane Rock and Rouge Autumn and L'Escargot. But coming to the final fence in the National now... and it's Crisp still going in great style. He jumps it well, Red Rum is about fifteen lengths behind him as he jumps it. Crisp is coming to the elbow he's got two hundred and fifty yards to run." Then, suddenly things changed...
"Crisp is just wandering off the true line now. He's beginning to lose concentration. He's been out there on his own for so long. And Red Rum is making ground on him. They have a furlong to run now, two hundred yards now for Crisp, and Red Rum is still closing on him, and Crisp is getting very tired, and Red Rum is pounding after him and Red Rum is the one who finishes the strongest. He's going to get up! Red Rum is going to win the National! At the line Red Rum has just snatched it from Crisp! And Red Rum is the winner!
The race was run in a time 19 seconds faster than the previous record set by the immortal Golden Miller some fifty years earlier and proved that on the day both Red Rum and Crisp put up truly exceptional performances.
There is more to horse race betting than just the Grand National! Bet on horse racing all year round at Blue Square. Horse betting is not the only kind of sport bet available at BlueSq. You can also bet on football, uk greyhound betting, online golf betting, cricket betting. It couldn't be easier to try online sports betting at Blue Square.
7. Greyhound Derby 2006 semi-final - Westmead Hawk win
Already established as one of the modern greats following his 2005 Greyhound Derby success, Westmead Hawk had looked even better during his 2006 campagin, recording wins in all rounds up to the semi-finals and attracting some extraordinary levels of online greyhound betting.
Starting as the well backed 4/5 favourite in his semi-final, the Hawk, as usual, broke slowly, and after being crowded at the first bend, found himself in last place as the field hurtled down the back straight. Irish ace Mineloa Farloe was setting a scorching gallop and going the penultimate bend it seemed that third, maybe second place was the best Westmead Hawk could achieve. Even as the runners turned into the home straight, victory seemed impossible. But we are talking about Westmead Hawk, and for him the impossible is merely a challenge. Sighting the line ahead and Mineola Farloe in his path, the Hawk lengthened his stride and to the amazement of the Wimbledon crowd and thousands watching on TV his finishing spurt saw him snatch victory in the final stride, literally on the line. What a performance, what drama, what a dog. Westmead Hawk - simply the best.
Greyhound betting is available alongside a wide range of online sports betting at Blue Square. Online golf betting, cricket betting online and football betting are all available now at Blue Square Sportsbook.
8. 2000 Sydney Olympics - Coxless 4's - Redgrave etc
Rowing isn't renowned for attracting much in the way of online sports betting but at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the Coxless 4's were certainly worth a punt! British rower Steve Redgrave entered Olympic history by winning his fifth consecutive gold medal. Redgrave won his medal in the coxless fours alongside Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster and James Cracknell. Despite the British crew being odds-on favourites to win gold, the race went down to a thrilling finish where the British crew triumphed by less than half a second ahead of their closest rivals.
Online sports betting isn't all about horse betting or UK football betting. As well as online soccer betting and horse racing betting you can try cricket betting online, rugby betting, online golf betting and greyhound betting.
9. Steve Davis v Dennis Taylor in the 1985 World Snooker Championship Final
The 1985 World Snooker Championship final has been described by many as the most exciting game of snooker ever played. The match took place at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in April between the defending champion Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor.
The end of the final was watched by over 18 million viewers in a match that was timed as the longest ever 35 frame match. It was all level at 17 frames despite Davis being 8-0 up after the first session, and during a tense final frame, the match came down to a re-spotted black where Taylor completed his amazing come-back at 12:19am! Punters could have placed a sport bet on the final to be decided on a re-spotted black at 80/1 before the tournament!
Online sport betting on Snooker and a variety of other sports is available now at Blue Square. If you don't fancy a punt on the next snooker world champion, why not try online greyhound betting, tennis betting, rugby betting or online golf betting.
10. 2003 Varsity Boat Race
The 2003 varsity is widely considered to be the best and closest contest in the race's history with Oxford clinging on to win by 1 foot despite an incredible late spurt by the Cambridge team. Cambridge were heavily backed into 1/3 with Oxford at 9/4 before the off. Both teams went into 5/6 on most online sports betting sites in running service during the neck and neck finish. After the race, both crews collapsed with exhaustion!
Bet on the boat race and a variety of other sporting events now at Blue Square. UK football betting, online golf betting and UK rugby betting are all available as well as UK greyhound betting and cricket betting online.
Football Betting
European Football Betting
UK Football Betting
World Football Betting
