The Minnesota Vikings’ 61-yard walk-off touchdown to beat the New Orleans Saints Sunday stunned many, including the radio announcers. But it may have really stunned those who bet on Minnesota, thanks to their post-touchdown decision. While there was no time left on the clock following the touchdown, Minnesota was required by NFL rules to attempt a conversion, something only waived in overtime. But it took almost 10 minutes to bring some Saints’ players back (amazingly, punter Thomas Morestead, who suffered apparent broken ribs during the game, was one of the first lined up), and when they did finally get the play lined up (albeit against only nine New Orleans players), the Vikings opted to take a knee rather than kick the extra point, giving them a 29-24 win.
The bad news? The spread in many places was Minnesota -5.5, so no extra point meant that New Orleans covered. Here’s a look at the Vikings trying to line up for this, with no Saints present at first until nine players came back from the locker room:
Here’s the kneeldown that may have cost bettors a lot of money, complete with Fox play-by-play announcer Joe Buck calling it “the most anticlimactic moment in the history of the NFL.”
But it wasn’t for those in Vegas, as Dan Steinberg’s video from a sports book there illustrates:
When they kneel for the deciding point lol pic.twitter.com/UXD9sMevmJ
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) January 15, 2018
Now that’s a painful way to lose a bet. Or a great way to win it, depending on your perspective.
[Clippit]
