Donegal win cost the bookies €1m
September 02, 2014
Donegal's Ryan McHugh celebrates scoring his first goal in front of Donegal fans.
©INPHO/Donall Farmer.
With odds as high at 10/1 on them defeating Dublin in last Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final, thousands of punters backed Donegal and skinned the bookies as a result.
Jim McGuinness' men were backed in to 7/1 but that didn't stop a huge payday as the Ulster champions stunned Dublin at Croke Park.
Bookmaker Paddy Power described it as their biggest ever payout on a single GAA match.
"The only thing Donegal fans hit harder than the Copper Face Jacks' bar was the bookies as they took full advantage of their status as underdogs," spokesman Feilim Mac An Iomaire is wryly quoted in the Irish Mirror as saying.
"It's our worst result on a GAA match in our history and there's no doubt the payout will pay for many an All-Ireland final ticket."
