The controversial ending in Saturday’s Michigan’s last-second win over Western Michigan had some major ramifications for sports bettors.
The Wolverines were a 27.5-point favorite at home. But late in the game, they faced a 12-7 deficit. Quarterback Bryce Underwood threw what looked like an incomplete Hail Mary pass out of the back of the end zone to end the game.
However, instant replay officials later determined that the Wolverines had one second left in the game.
Underwood then completed a 47-yard touchdown pass to give Michigan the 13-12 win. The addition of an extra second immediately drew condemnation from many across the sports landscape. The extra second also brought some tough losses for sportsbooks as well.
“That extra play and successful Hail Mary was a massive swing for the book,” BetMGM trading manager Adair Horne told Fox Sports. “We went from a big winner to a loser.”
Most fans watching the game were shocked that the refs added any time to the clock. So was the Mid-American Conference, of which the Broncos are a member.
The MAC released a statement Monday officially requesting the game’s result get overturned. The video evidence was so compelling that the conference officials asked the NCAA to reverse the result.
While that would make Western Michigan fans and players happy, bettors wouldn’t see a change. Most sportsbooks wouldn’t have changed anything.
For example, FanDuel sportsbook would not change the payout even if the outcome is changed at a later date. Other sportsbooks, leave a short window for a reversal. However, even with the lenient sportsbooks, that window is long closed.
Parlay Bettors Cash In
Despite Michigan coming well short of covering the spread, other betting options led to some heavy losses for the books. The Wolverines’ victory apparently helped many moneyline parlay bettors cash in.
“We took six times the amount of bets on Michigan moneyline compared with Western Michigan,” Horne said.
Caesars reported similar moneyline parlay wagering involving the Wolverines. At Fanatics, one bettor dropped a $10,000 live moneyline bet on Michigan late in the game at odds of +2800. The Wolverines’ win led to a $280,000 profit.
Someone got Michigan at +2800 last night 🤯 pic.twitter.com/pPRlv3Nds5
— Fanatics Sports & Casino (@FanaticsSports) September 6, 2026
A bettor at Hard Rock Bet also saw a six-figure score, but with a much smaller wager. The handicapper made a 20-leg college football parlay and miraculously, every single leg hit for a $130,636 payout – quite a return on investment
“This might be CRAZIER than the Michigan Hail Mary,” the sports betting operator said on Twitter/X.
This might be CRAZIER than the Michigan Hail Mary 🤯
Congrats to this Florida bettor who turned a DOLLAR into 130K on a 20-leg college football parlay yesterday! pic.twitter.com/uzc4N8HeaE
— Hard Rock Bet (@HardRockBet) September 6, 2026
The refs might’ve made mistakes in Michigan, but podcaster Bill Simmons recently admitted to bigger ones in Massachusetts. Simmons admitted to proxy betting in the Bay State while in California. He used his daughter’s boyfriend to log into his account and place bets while Simmons was in California. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is reviewing the case.
On the other side of the coast, the New Jersey Attorney General asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on whether or not sportsbooks’ biggest competitor, prediction markets, are allowed to spread sports event contracts.
