IT has been a torrid week for fans of Mayo GAA – but not if you were one of lucky heartbroken few who bet on the Westerners to make up for it in 2018.
A quartet of optimistic Mayo fans backed their boys to finally bring home the Sam Maguire Cup this time next year – despite their agonising last-gasp loss to Dublin on Sunday.
The four – who placed bets between €2 and €50 at odds of 5/1 – will benefit to the tune of €360 following Paddy Power’s pay-out.
The Irish gambling site said they were rewarding the fans for their “ridiculous optimism” in the face of overwhelming odds against the Green and Red Army.
A spokesman for Paddy Power said: “No sporting fans have experienced more hurt than this generation of Mayo supporters but like the team they just keep coming back and are a credit to their county.
“It takes a hell of an optimist to throw money behind this side following yet another heart-breaking loss and we felt obliged to ensure that these fans would be in the green and not the red following their show of faith.”
Paddy Power are also taking bets on worldwide events which could happen before Mayo next win the All-Ireland Football Championship – if it ever happens.
It’s 5/1 for Alien life to be discovered before the curse is ended and 33/1 for Enda Kenny to be the President before Sam Maguire finds itself residing in Castlebar.
Other odds include the Virgin Mary to appear again at Knock at 4/1 and Liverpool to win the Premier League at a slightly optimistic 5/6.
Dublin are 10/11 favourites to land a fourth title in a row in 2018 with Kerry considered their biggest rivals for Sam at 7/2.
Mayo lie third in the betting at 5/1 while Tyrone round off the front runners at odds of 9/1.
