Sports
Greatest Upset Victories in Sports History
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Updated:4/10/2026
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Upset↕ | Sport↕ | Year↕ | Pre-Match Odds↕ | Result↕ | Why It Stunned the World↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miracle on Ice (USA vs USSR Hockey) | Ice Hockey | 1980 | 1000-1 | USA 4 - USSR 3 | College amateurs beat the Soviet professional team that had won 4 straight Olympic golds |
Leicester City Wins Premier League | Football | 2016 | 5000-1 | League Champions | Promoted side nearly relegated the year before won the title, defying every statistical model |
Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson | Boxing | 1990 | 42-1 | KO Round 10 | Tyson was considered invincible, Douglas fought days after his mother died |
Greece Wins Euro 2004 | Football | 2004 | 150-1 | Tournament Champions | Greece beat host Portugal in the final, had never won a major tournament match before |
Appalachian State over Michigan | College Football | 2007 | 33-1 | 34-32 | FCS team beat No. 5 ranked FBS team, blocked a last-second field goal to win |
Japan over South Africa (Rugby WC) | Rugby | 2015 | 80-1 | 34-32 | Cherry Blossoms scored a try in the final minute to beat 2-time world champion Springboks |
Rulon Gardner over Alexander Karelin | Wrestling | 2000 | Massive underdog | 1-0 | Karelin hadn't lost in 13 years or conceded a point in 6 years |
Uruguay over Brazil (1950 WC Final) | Football | 1950 | Heavy underdog | 2-1 | Maracanazo silenced 200,000 fans, Brazil had only needed a draw to win |
2007 New York Giants Super Bowl Run | NFL | 2008 | 12-1 (in playoffs) | 17-14 vs Patriots | Wild card team ended the Patriots' 18-0 perfect season, Helmet Catch |
Roberta Vinci over Serena Williams | Tennis | 2015 | 300-1 | 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 | Ended Serena's calendar Grand Slam bid at the US Open semifinals |
North Korea over Italy (1966 World Cup) | Football | 1966 | Extreme underdog | 1-0 | Unknown North Korean team eliminated two-time world champions at Ayresome Park |
Hasim Rahman over Lennox Lewis | Boxing | 2001 | 20-1 | KO Round 5 | Rahman dropped Lewis with a single right hand in South Africa, Lewis won the rematch |
UMBC over Virginia (March Madness) | Basketball | 2018 | N/A (16 vs 1 seed) | 74-54 | First 16-seed to beat a 1-seed in NCAA tournament history, won by 20 points |
Spain over USA (2023 FIBA World Cup) | Basketball | 2023 | USA favored | N/A (Germany won) | USA finished 4th, lost to Germany and Canada, worst FIBA finish with NBA players |
Pakistan over Australia (1992 WC) | Cricket | 1992 | 66-1 | Tournament Champions | Cornered tigers rallied from near-elimination in group stage to win the World Cup under Imran Khan |
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