Michigan beat Oklahoma State, 92-91, to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
But thanks to a final-second three by OSU’s Jawun Evans, everyone who’d bet on Michigan to win and cover the spread ended up losing money, and everyone who’d made a Cowboys bet (and probably already given up on it) walked away with cash, thanks to the backdoor cover.
The line before tipoff ranged between 2.5 points and 3.5 points, making that meaningless three one of the worst bad beats — or bets that don’t cash due to late, fluke-y plays that didn’t actually impact the result — in recent March Madness history.
And since Michigan is the bigger name and more popular school, it’s no surprise that more bettors had money on the Wolverines covering. Vegas always wins in the end.
Michigan (closed -2.5) received 66% of spread bets according to @SportsInsights. #badbeat pic.twitter.com/aWbTph1jNC
— David Solar (@TheDavidSolar) March 17, 2017
BAD BEAT...thoughts and prayers to Michigan backers #MarchMadness
— Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) March 17, 2017
Lmao nothing like the classic pointless 3 at the buzzer when you're down 4 for the backdoor cover #BadBeat
— Art Vandalay (@StanLee_23) March 17, 2017
OK St was a 2 to 2.5 point underdog to Michigan and just hit a meaningless 3 at the buzzer to lose by 1. Would love to be in Vegas right now
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 17, 2017
That meaningless three should lead the sports betting One Shining Moment montage. #goblue #badbeat
— Brian Mead (@bmead) March 17, 2017
Dude from OSU just fucked up my bet with that pointless 3 #badbeat
— Lucas Soileau (@shutupbsoileau) March 17, 2017
Millions of Phones, TV's, and laptops just got simultaneously thrown. What a bad beat for Michigan bettors
— Ethan painter (@Ethanpaints) March 17, 2017
The 1st game here in #Indy was a good one. We had a bad beat w/that last second 3 by Ok St tho. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/6KPcMJSfdr
— tgh3316 (@tgh3316) March 17, 2017
However, one person’s bad beat is another person’s shrewd investment.
Won't you take me to....Covertown.
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) March 17, 2017
Either way, Brent Musburger’s smiling somewhere.