Leicester City, 5000-to-1 (2016)
A C$100 winning bet at 5000-to-1 would produce C$500,000 profit and a C$500,100 total return. The enormous number became part of the story because Leicester had narrowly avoided relegation the previous season. It also shows why “to-one” odds describe profit: the original stake is added back.
Buster Douglas beats Mike Tyson, 42-to-1 (1990)
At the widely reported 42-to-1 price, C$100 would produce C$4,200 profit and C$4,300 back in total. Prices varied by bookmaker, which is normal for historical odds. Douglas knocked out the undefeated champion in the tenth round.
UMBC beats Virginia (2018)
UMBC won 74–54 and became the first men’s No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. At a reported price around +2000, C$100 would produce C$2,000 profit and a C$2,100 total return. The exact price depended on the sportsbook and time.
Greece wins Euro 2004, 150-to-1
At 150-to-1, C$100 would produce C$15,000 profit and C$15,100 back in total. Greece beat host Portugal in both the opening match and final, turning a long pre-tournament price into one of soccer’s best-known title shocks.
Miracle on Ice (1980)
The United States beat the heavily favoured Soviet Union 4–3, then defeated Finland to win gold. We do not attach a C$100 return because there was no single, broadly available modern sportsbook market to verify. A responsible odds story should say when a clean historical price does not exist.
What long odds mean
Longshots lose much more often than they win. A large potential payout reflects a low implied chance, not a prediction. Historical odds come from contemporary reporting and can vary by source. This article is information, not a betting recommendation.
Sources and method
Historical odds can differ by sportsbook and time. Payout examples assume a winning C$100 stake.
Premier League history of Leicester’s 5000-to-1 title ↗