People love to share a bad beat story with their fellow gamblers. We have full intentions of bringing back the weekly moose report this fall but to whet our appetite during down season, it made sense to let everyone use this space for therapy and catharsis. Enjoy (but if it brings back a flood of bad memories, I apologize in advance) To protect the identity of those involved, names have been removed however a special thank you to those who submitted their responses because anyone around the business of gambling feels your pain. Personal Account 1: Details of this are sketchy at best but Ill never forget stupid feeling of buying something new to replace something you just broke on purpose. I remember a Duke game back in the mid 2000s. My buddy and I were killin our bookie all week. By the time the friday night game came around we decided to just lay it all on the line. We were sure of this Duke game. They had been covering for us all season. We both put 20 units on the game. This was the biggest bet I ever made on College basketball. The game was going along great and Duke had the lead by more than 10 a couple different times. I don’t remember the exact line but its sort of irrelevant to the story you know Im about to tell. As usual the waning minutes of a basketball game things get tight. Back and forth time seems to stand still. Its down to the last 30 seconds and we are covering then we arent. So close….It comes down to the last second shot and we are covering by 3 points. They dribble down step up to the 3 point line this guy plants and gets ready to hurl a 3 pointer that I’m 100% sure is sending...

by @cruz0210 Wednesday, January 25 Lakers vs Clippers Lakers -4 Final Score: Lakers 96-91 Like any seasoned NBA gambler knows the cover is normally determined in the games waning moments.  The Lakers held a 6 point lead with 8 seconds left after stretching their margin outside the number with 21 ticks left for the first time in the quarter.  With 4 seconds left, Blake Griffin took it straight to the rack cutting the Laker lead to 4. Despite the outcome of the game essentially decided, the Clippers fouled Pau Gasol with 1 second left! Gasol promptly stepped to the line and hit 1 of 2 freebies giving the Lakers a 5 pt win but more importantly the cover. Lakers and Clippers 4th quarter play by play Thursday, January 26 Magic vs Celtics Magic -10 / 174.5 Final Score: Boston 91-83 The Magic dominated the Celtics in the first half building a 27-point lead.  However, all the hard work evaporated during an epic  2nd half Magic meltdown. The Celtics outscored the Magic 54-25 in the second half including 27-8 in the 4th quarter giving Boston a 91-83 win  However, over bettors had the biggest gripe since it was the Magic’s offensive futility that kept the game under the total by a mere half point. Play by play of the 4th quarter collapse Saturday, January 28 Marquette vs Villanova Marquette -3.5 Final Score: Marquette 82-78 Villanova came out of the gates hot jumping out to a 21-7 first half lead and appeared poised to win a blowout at home. At the half, Villanova maintained their 10 pt lead and kept Wildcat bettors very happy.  Fast forward to 12 min left in the 2nd half and a 12-0 Marquette run gave the Golden Eagles their first lead...

by Cruz0210 Sunday, January 15 NY Giants vs GB Packers 1h O/U 27.5 Halftime Score 20-10 Giants With 15 seconds to go in the half, Big Blue clung to a 3 pt lead and it looked as if the Giants would run one more play to take it into the half and secure the first half under.  Under bettors believed there was no possible way this game could sneak over since even a FG would keep it under the first half total.  Ahmad Bradshaw had other ideas and took the 3rd and 1 play 26 yards, getting out of bounds and stopping the clock with 6 seconds left.  Watching the game I thought the giants would run a quick out and try to get a long FG attempt in before the half and by the looks of the Green Bay defensive scheme they thought the same thing.  Oh contraire:  On the next play Manning tossed a Hail Mary 37 yards to Nicks for a Giants TD, MOOSING under backers something fierce. Monday, January 9 WVU +5.5 vs UCONN Final Score Uconn 64-57 WVU went to the half with a 5 pt lead and for the better part of 40 minutes were in total control of the game.  As the 2nd half played out, WVU held the lead until Ryan Boatright’s dunk tied the game for Uconn with 6 minutes to go in the game. Fast forward to the final 14 seconds where Jeremy Lamb nailed two free throws giving UConn their largest lead of the game at 5.  After a Truck Bryant missed 3 and and Andre Drummond block on the put back, Uconn’s  Jeremey Lamb leaked free for a run out and with one second left on the clock laid the ball in...

By @cruz0210 Looking to help Brandon with his weekly segment? Hashtag #moosealert and tweet Brandon to see your bad beat listed and credited in next week’s column Tuesday, January 3 Michigan vs Virginia Tech (Sugar Bowl) 1st half line VT+1.5 Halftime score 10-6 Michigan After almost a full half of football, VT was completely dominating the Sugar bowl but only had 6 pts to show for it thanks to key redzone stops by Michigan and questionable Hokie play calling on 4th down (not quite Mike Smith caliber, but you get the idea). With about 1 minute left in the half, Michigan relied on their most effective play in the playbook: Robinson tossed up a hail mary jump ball to Junior Hemingway that resulted in a 45 yard TD pass on 3rd and long giving Michigan a 7-6 lead with 48 seconds left. If you had a VT +1.5 first half ticket your bet was still very safe since all VT had to do was take a knee and go to the half with a 7-6 deficit.   As every gambler knows, even the best laid plans don’t always come to fruition.  Tech’s Tony Gregory fumbled the kickoff, giving Michigan the ball on the VT 26. After Michigan failed to do anything with the turnover, the Wolverines lined up for a FG that would give them the 1st half cover but Michigan didn’t kick it, they faked! On one of the craziest plays I witnessed this bowl season (and there were plenty), Michigans Drew Dileo’s pass was tipped and caught by Offensive lineman Jareth Glanda , for an 11 yard gain and the most improbable of all first downs.  Two plays later Michigan lined up for a much shorter FG attempt where Brendan Gibbons split the...

Thursday, December 29 Closing line: Baylor -9 Final: Baylor 67-56 From the beginning the Alamo Bowl had more fireworks than New Year’s Eve in Vegas and unfortunately for Washington bettors the pyrotechnics never stopped.  Baylor threw the 1st punch of the game grabbing a 21-7 after 1 and looked unstoppable.  After a 28-3 2nd quarter and complete role reversal from Washington, the Huskies took a 35-24 lead into the break.  Everyone holding a Huskies ticket had to be feeling good, hell I know I was.  Despite an opening drive TD for Washington to start the half, Baylor’s offense owned the 3rd quarter scoring on every possession and putting up 29 points to grab a 53-49 lead going into the final stanza but this is just when things got interesting. Keith Price had an amazing 3rd and Goal run from the 8 yard line to give the Huskies a 56-53 lead with 9:40 left and it looked like Washington backers would cash their ticket but 4 plays and 1:25 later Baylor answered right back to take a 60-56 lead. With 3:25 to go, Washington faced a 4th and 8 on the Baylor 39 and when Price’s pass to Kasen Williams sailed out of bounds every Huskies bettor knew the worst case scenario was looming.  Despite leading the game by 18 pts at one point with Huskies bettors clutching tickets anywhere from +7.5 to +10.5, the cover remained in doubt. With 3 minutes left in the game. Alamo Bowl MVP Terrance Ganaway took a run up the middle untouched for 43 yards and a Baylor TD giving the Bears an 11 point lead putting them outside the number.  Hey there was still 2:30 left in the game and Baylor hadn’t stopped Washington all night surely they...

Monday, December 19 Closing line: Southern Miss -1.5  vs Arizona State Final : Southern Miss 64-61 ASU is quickly becoming the king of 2nd half meltdowns, the college hoops equivalent of Texas A&M football.  Leading 30-21 at the break, Sun Devil bettors felt pretty comfortable with their home underdog.  However fates quickly turned as USM erased the halftime deficit by the 12:14 mark of the second half tying the game at 34.  With 4:50 to go it was actually the Golden Eagles who built a 54-43 lead and seemed poised to run and hide themselves however ASU fought all the way back knotting the score at 61 with only 5 seconds left.  Southern Miss Forward Darrell Dodson (UK transfer) would have none of that talk though as he dashed the SunDevil’s cover draining a three at the buzzer squashing ASU’s improbable comeback.  The irony? Dodson wasn’t even supposed to play for USM and became the X-factor.   Tuesday, December 20 Closing line: NC State +1 vs St Bonaventure Final: Nc State 67-65 The game was back and forth the entire 40 minutes with neither team able to extend and take firm control. Tied at 65 with 3 seconds left, NC State’s CJ Leslie caught a full court baseball pass and in his own unique variation of the Christian Laettner play turned and hit a game winning jumper with .08 seconds left for a Wolfpack win.  Upon further review Leslie actually stepped out of bounds which would have negated the game winner and sent the game to OT. Officials didn’t review the play and Mark Gottfried’s team became the beneficiary of a fortuitous missed call.  Don’t believe me, here’s video evidence to prove it. Tuesday, December 20 Closing line: Utah St -5.5 vs UT-Arlington Final:...

Written by Brandon Crusan (twitter @cruz0210) #4: Detroit vs Mississippi St (CBB) Mississippi St -4 Final Score Miss St 80-75 With 40 seconds left in the game Detroit had nearly completed an improbable comeback to tie the game at 75 after trailing by as many as 16 in the 2nd half. For Titan backers however this was the beginning of the end.  Rodney Hood hit a jumper for Miss St to give them a 2 pt lead with 22 seconds left. No problem right, UDM could hold for the last shot and dog backers would cash with ease but a Titan miss and 2 Bulldog free throws later made the margin 4 with 10 seconds remaining.  Detroit’s Best player and a mortal lock from the foul line Ray McCallum and his 80% strode to the line with his with 4 ticks left to potentially lock up a cover or worst push.  McCallum missed the front end of a 1 and 1, Detroit fouled and Miss St then sank 1 out of 2 FT’s to give the boys from Starkville the cover. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=313512174 #3: Temple vs Wyoming Temple -7 and 51 Final Score Temple 37-15 The Total in the New Mexico Bowl came down to the last play of the game but that was just the beginning.  This particular outcome left under bettors absolutely speechless snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. With only 10 seconds left Wyoming’s Brett Smith hit Kody Sutton for a TD on the last play of the game making the score 37-13 with the extra point pending for the total to push.  But for reasons unknown to anyone Wyoming decided to go for a meaningless 2 pt conversion.  On the 1st attempt they were stopped but the refs Flagged Temple...

Written by Brandon Crusan ( @cruz0210 ) #5  Cowboys vs Giants Closing line Dallas -4.5 Final score New York 37-34 With 5:41 left in the 4th Romo hit Bryant for a 50 yard TD giving dallas a 12 pt lead and all but Icing a cover for dallas backers.  Well like we’ve seen so many times before against Dallas what can go wrong, does go wrong.  Eli Manning Hit Ballard for a TD with 3 minutes left cutting the lead to 5 leaving Cowboy bettors still looking good but everyone with a Dallas ticket was asking the same question; How will they blow it this week?  On 3rd and 6 with 2 minutes left Romo missed a wide open Miles Austin that would have cemented the Dallas cover.  Mcbriar then shanks a 33 yard punt, giving Eli great field position, and 6 plays later the G-men had a 37-34 lead that held up for the cover. http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=311211006 #4  Bengals vs Texans Closing line Cincinnati -2.5 and total 38.5 Final score Houston 20-19 With 2:33 and a 19-13 lead, The only way Bengals bettors could lose was if Rookie QB TJ Yates went 80 yards with 0 timeouts: Guess what, Yates came of age in the River City.  With 12 seconds left Cincinnati was called for a questionable PI penalty that gave Houston the ball on the 6 yard line.  On the next Play Yates hit Kevin Walter for a TD and a Houston outright win that also put the game over the total. http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=311211004 #3 Ball St vs Butler (College Hoops) Closing line ball st -3.5 Final score Ball St 58-55 Ball St had a 58-54 lead with 3 seconds left in the game: avoid the 3 and this bet cashes no problem.  However,...