Some questioned whether Syracuse basketball even deserved an invite to the NCAA tournament. Now, it isn't too crazy to think that the Orange could go ahead and win it all.
And if it does, one bold gambler is in line for a huge payday. According to ESPN, one fan's $100 bet on Syracuse winning the tournament came with staggering 1,000-to-1 odds -- odds that now seem foolish, with the team advancing to the Final Four.
If Syracuse beats North Carolina and wins the championship game, that single bet will pay out $100,000 in winnings. ESPN asked a 20-year veteran of Las Vegas's sports gambling industry, who said he'd never once seen a bet with 1,000-to-1 odds pay off.
But there's a first time for everything.
ESPN notes that Syracuse faithful have been richly rewarded this March when they put their money where their mouth is. In the first half against top-seeded Virginia, the Orange were down 16 points, and a fan placed a $350 bet that they'd come back to win.
The odds at the time were 16-to-1. The payout was a cool $4,900.
Of course, everyone's been caught off guard by Syracuse's unlikely run. Coach Jim Boeheim said himself that he figured they would lose in the second round to Michigan State -- until the Spartans fell to No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee State.
Where there's March, there's always madness.
