Sports are a bettors' paradise with the amount of ways one can take away winnings.
It can also be a total nightmare when suffering brutal losses.
The thrill of a come-from-behind win, last-second goal or a winning streak can quickly be changed to a broken spread, busted parlay and destroyed electronics.
When top caliber athletes with a lot of money go head-to-head, it is expected that their confidence can get the best of them.
With the media bonanza surrounding Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson facing off, one-on-one, in a golf pay-per-view, certainly there are plenty of bets to be made. The first main side bet being Mickelson betting Woods that he birdies the first hole... for a mere sum of $200,000, which Woods has won.
Seeing how combat athletes deal with each other mano-a-mano, we look at five other side bets made from fighters and fight personalities.
James DeGale and George Groves Bet Full Fight Purses Against Each Other in 2011
Like most boxing rivalries, we questions whether there is actual dislike between fighters. Sometimes animosity flares up, however fans are unaware if these antics are, simply put, just to sell the fight.
This rivalry is somewhat different
In their childhood, DeGale and Groves were both members of the Dale Youth Boxing Club in the basement of the now burned-out shell of Grenfell Tower in west London, England. With both fighters at the top of their amateur weight class, it was inevitable that the two would meet in the ring. In the 2006 amateur championships. Groves would win the fight, which would end the friendship between the two former teammates.
DeGale would go on to win a 2008 Olympic gold medal and turn professional, while Groves would enter the ranks to less fanfare.
The two would meet in a grudge match in May 2011. During the lead-up press conference, DeGale would challenge Groves to a bet, 'I am so confident, I will cover your wage. Let's make a bet now. Shake now. The bet is, I will beat you.' Groves immediately accepted.
Groves would win the fight by close 115-114, 115-114, 114-114 majority decision.
Afterwards, Groves' trainer would let DeGale off the bet.
Allegedly Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Disagreed Over a Price for a Puppy, So They Settled it in the Most Chute Boxe Way - They Sparred For It
'The Axe Murderer' Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua were training partners and good friends at the famed Chute Boxe Academy.
Both fighters have publicly stated that they would not fight one another, however this has not stopped the two knockout artists from going toe-to-toe with one another inside the gym's walls.
Fighters' Only documented a time that the two made a friendly bet in sparring, and the following goes down as mixed martial arts mythology.
At the time, Shogun's dog birthed a litter of pit bull puppies and Silva asked for one, which Shogun obliged and gave away. Allegedly, weeks went by where Rua returned to Silva and asked for a few hundred dollars in payment for the puppy. Apparently Silva disagreed with the price and was unable to negotiate a price where both Silva and Rua were happy with.
Reportedly, both fighters came to an agreement that they would spar unlimited rounds with 16-ounce gloves, until one fighter was knocked out. If Shogun won, he would be paid the price he asked, and if Silva won, he would not have to pay.
Silva would speak on the alleged showdown, 'All I will say is that we went at it very hard and the fight ended in the first round. And I did not pay for that puppy.'
Yikes.
Cedric Doumbe and Alan Scheinson Bet A Pair of Shoes at GLORY 55 New York and a Trip to an Adidas Store Has Been Made
Friendly competitors and GLORY welterweights Cedric Doumbe and Alan Scheinson were scheduled to fight at GLORY 55 New York.
During a fun, behind-the-scene segments in part 3 of Inside GLORY 55 New York Fight Week at the fighter hotel, the two ran into each other at the lobby after Doumbe returned from a shopping trip.
'So this is for me? You're such a nice friend, man,' as Scheinson pointed at the bags.
After checking with Scheinson's shoe and clothing sizes, Doumbe replied with a smile, 'You win, I'll give you everything.'
Scheinson counter-offered, 'If you win, I'll give you my shoes.'
And a deal was made.
Segment begins at 2:18
Doumbe would end up brutalizing Scheinson within two rounds for the victory, and a pair of shoes.
Scheinson was scheduled to return at GLORY 61 New York, and during fight week, picked up a pair of shoes to make good on the bet.
Segment begins at 1:42.
Rampage Jackson Offers Unwinnable Bet to Chael Sonnen and Doesn't Pay Up When He Loses It
Two of the most notable names to have crossed over to Bellator from the UFC with notable careers are Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and the outspoken "American Gangster" Chael Sonnen.
When Spike TV rebranded into Paramount Network in North America, they wanted to kick off their Bellator events with a bang. There is no better way to do that with Rampage and Sonnen headlining the network's first Bellator card at Bellator 192 .
During an interview at ESPN Los Angeles, Rampage offered the challenge to Sonnen, 'I'll give you $10,000 for every take down you get,' which in fans' eyes is essentially giving free money to the West Linn capo.
Sonnen would end up taking down Rampage in each round to earn himself $30,000 from the bet, which Sonnen requested to be sent, but will never cash.
Sonnen told Michael Bisping that Jackson reached out for an address to send the cheque.
Unfortunately, Jackson felt slighted at the bet due to Sonnen not offering any reciprocating stipulations and alleges he spent the money at a local strip club,
Reason To Never Make a Tattoo Bet? Ask Jon Anik
As we all know in sports, there are no guarantees. Period.
However, UFC commentator felt Conor McGregor was a shoe-in for a victory over late-replacement Nate Diaz at UFC 196.
Anik told his co-host Kenny Florian on their podcast, 'I will get the area code 209 tattoooed on the inside of my forearm if Nate Diaz beats Conor McGregor.'
We all know how the fight went.
At the post-fight press conference, Diaz made sure to, jokingly, address the situation with Anik, 'Jon Anik better get a [expletive] 209 tattoo or I'm going to whoop his little ass.'
And then this:
