Bizarre ending of Texans-Buccaneers game had a huge impact on bettors
Bettors who had money on the Houston Texans were thrilled by their last-second touchdown. Then crushed by what happened afterward.
The Texans, who were 2.5-point favorites, drove down the field for in 40 seconds for a touchdown with six seconds left to go up 39-37 on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rookie QB C.J. Stroud found Tank Dell in the end zone for his fifth touchdown pass of the game, and his rookie-record 470th passing yard. But with kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn ruled out with a quad injury, Houston was very cautious with the point-after try.
With six seconds left, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans decided that any potential extra points weren't worth the risk of having a blocked kick, intercepted two-point try or fumble returned for two points by the defense.
So the Texans lined up for a two-point try and knelt down instead. The game ended 39-37, with the Texans winning — but their bettors losing.
Gamblers were up in arms about the Texans' decision, especially since Houston's emergency kicker, running back Dale Ogunbawale, actually made a 28-yard field goal earlier to give them a 33-30 lead.
The internet erupted.
The decision made sense for Houston, but anytime a last-second decision affects the gambling outcome, there's questions from the public.
It wasn't nearly as strange as when Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay kicked a field goal on the final play to cut the 49ers' margin of victory to 30-23 — which covered the 7.5-point spread.
After the game, McVay explained that with one play left, the Rams might as well practice the field goal, since it didn't matter to the outcome.
He told reporters, "Apparently there's a lot of people in Vegas pissed off about that decision. I clearly was not aware of that stuff."
The Texans moved to 4-4 on the season behind a historically good game by Stroud. And a historically bad beat for gamblers.
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