One lucky punter has pulled off the bet of the FIFA World Cup, snaring more than a million dollars after backing Morocco to make the quarterfinals.
Morocco defeated Spain 3-0 on penalties on Wednesday and one fan was particularly thrilled by the upset after betting USD$90,818.19 (A$133,000) on Morocco to reach the quarterfinals, which produced an eye-watering return of A$1.6 million.
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According to Action Network, the man who placed the bet is a twenty-something schoolteacher from New York who was teaching volleyball to primary school kids while sweating over his bet.
The bet on Morocco to make the quarterfinals wasn’t a stand-alone wager — it was made after the teacher built up his betting account by nailing multis.
“I was checking my phone every once in a while, but I wasn’t watching it,” the man told Action Network.
It was the biggest bet of his life and remarkably, he isn’t even familiar with Morocco’s team.
“I don’t know one player’s name,” he said.
“I’m not going to lie and say I knew what I was doing,” he said.
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“At the end of the day it was a bet that just got lucky. I’m a regular degenerate dude.”
The bet came good after Morocco drew against Croatia, then beat Belgium and Canada in the group stage before upsetting Spain in the round of 16.
Morocco is just the fourth African team to reach the last eight of a World Cup after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
Portugal might have been expecting to face their neighbours Spain in the last eight but Morocco stunned Luis Enrique’s side in a penalty shootout to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in their history.
Morocco are just the fourth African team to reach the last eight of a World Cup after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, failed to break down the athletic Moroccan side, with Bounou making a fine save from Dani Olmo’s free-kick in one of the best chances of normal time.
In extra-time, Walid Cheddira could have won the game for Morocco without the gut-wrenching shootout, but as he burst clear in the Spanish area, his shot was blocked by the legs of goalkeeper Unai Simon.
In the inquest to a painful defeat, Spain will wonder how Paris Saint-Germain pair Sarabia and Carlos Soler, and Barcelona veteran Sergio Busquets, all failed to score in a shootout that Morocco won 3-0.
“It was a pity, it was decided on penalties in the most cruel way,” Busquets said.
“The penalties cost us but I am proud of my team,” said Spain coach Luis Enrique.
“I take all the responsibility because I chose the first three takers and the players decided the rest — we didn’t get to the fourth.” Morocco’s penalty hero Bounou said he had benefited from “a little bit of intuition, a little bit of luck” and said the team had to remain focused despite their success.
“When you live moments like this, sometimes it’s hard to realise it. We will try to avoid the noise around us, stay focused on ourselves, on our job, our recovery,” he said.
The Moroccan celebrations spread across Doha, where police sealed off the Souq Wafiq in the centre of the capital after thousands of fans gathered to bang drums and blow horns.
Morocco could face punishment from FIFA after their players unfurled a Palestinian flag during their on-pitch celebrations.
The quarter-final line-up is now complete, with five-time winners Brazil facing 2018 finalists Croatia on Friday, when the Netherlands take on Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Portugal’s meeting with Morocco is Saturday’s first matchup before England tackle France and the tournament’s top scorer Kylian Mbappe in the later kick-off.
With AFP
