From the day she opened her first bookie’s account, L’Ouverture put down in writing her intentions to win big. In fact, the Madame created a wager specifically designed to increase her chances of financial success – she would place a hundred-dollar bill on the table, and bet that the Browns would lose the game.
What was the wager L’Ouverture put in her betting book? As it turns out, she wagered that the Browns would win the football game – a proposition with definite long odds. Let’s take a closer look at the specifics of L’Ouverture’s wager:
Under What Conditions Did She Place This Wager?
L’Ouverture did not have to limit her wager to just professional football games. Indeed, the Browns did not even have to be playing at the time she placed the bet. What was important was that the Browns held a place in the National Football League (NFL) and were scheduled to play an away game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 2, 1960.
This was plenty of reason for L’Ouverture to make the wager; after all, if the Steelers beat the Browns, it was likely that Pittsburgh would head to the championship game that season, where they would most likely meet John F. Kennedy in the face. A JFK-Steelers championship game would’ve been quite a spectacle. However, one must not get too excited just yet, as L’Ouverture’s wager was specifically designed to give the appearance of being a winning bet, even if the Browns ultimately lost the game.
How Much Did She Win?
While the Browns did not win the game that day (they lost by a score of 17-6), L’Ouverture’s wager paid off in spades. Two days later, she called her bookie and informed him that her hundred-dollar bill had tripled in value, as it was now worth three hundred dollars.
Needless to say, L’Ouverture was thrilled about the turn of events and hoped that it was just a fluke. Unfortunately, it was not. In fact, the opposite happened and her hundred-dollar bill was soon worth five hundred dollars.
What Would Make A $500 Wager Successful?
If we had to suggest something that would make a $500 wager successful, we would have to say it’s all about the psychology of the gambler. After all, L’Ouverture opened a checking account at a nearby bank and began depositing money into it. In just three weeks, her account had grown to $3,000 and, by the end of the year, it had reached a whopping $38,000.
So while the Browns did not win that day, it certainly did not hurt L’Ouverture’s bank account that the Steelers did. As it turns out, she won $31,000 from her wager and, thanks to the power of compounding, ended up with a total of $38,000.[/p>
Was This A Winning Strategy?
If you’re looking for a winning strategy, placing a wager on the Browns to lose seems like a surefire way to make money. After all, the team was terrible and had not won a game in almost two years. With the odds heavily stacked against them, it’s not hard to imagine that some people might’ve found it difficult to keep their heads held high as they bet on the hated Browns.
On the other hand, those who chose to bet on the Steelers had good reason to feel confident. The team was coming off a 3-3-plus record season and were the heavy favorites to win the game. If they did, it would be their fifth straight victory and a good omen for the rest of the season.
So which team did L’Ouverture choose to back in her wager? As mentioned above, she went with the popular pick, the Steelers, but there’s more to it than that. Let’s take a look:
How Did She Choose The Steelers?
L’Ouverture could’ve chosen any number of NFL teams to back in her wager – the Chicago Bears, for example, were also popular picks at the time – but she specifically chose the Steelers. Why? We can only imagine that there was something about the vibe of the Pittsburgh Steelers that resonated with her. After all, when you’re planning to make a five-figure wager, you’re going to want to bet on a team that you have faith in. The organization itself was also seen as a house of cards, with many people questioning the leadership of their head coach, Joe Kuharich. This was especially so during the late 1950s, when the team went through a stretch of six straight losing seasons. During this time, the only silver lining was that their fans were extremely passionate, which made it fairly easy to place wagers. At least, that’s what L’Ouverture told herself as she laid down her money and took a leap of faith.
Why Did She Choose To Bet On The Browns?
While the Steelers were a popular choice among casual sports bettors looking to make a quick wager, the Browns were the sports bookie’s nightmare. First off, it took the Browns almost two years to finally break even. Secondly, heading into the 1960 season, there were serious doubts about whether or not the team even belonged in the NFL. Finally, most bookmakers wouldn’t take the Browns as a matter of course, as they were seen as a poor sport betting team. Even those who did offer them as odds-on favorites would typically only do so because they had to – the fans and community as a whole had almost unanimously written them off. All of this makes it easy to see why L’Ouverture felt that the Browns were a good choice for a wager; she was extremely motivated to make it pay off, as she needed the money.
What Other Sports Did She Place This Type Of Wager?
L’Ouverture did not limit her wager to just professional sports. She also made wagers on high school and college football, as well as the horse race, the Boston Marathon, and the Kentucky Derby. Interestingly, she did not bet on the Super Bowl (at the time, it was known as the Ice Bowl), as it was held in a frigid climate that would be detrimental to her health. While it’s not entirely clear why she avoided the Super Bowl, one can assume it had to do with her desire to avoid the frigid temperatures that would be present at the game. Regardless, she did not shy away from major sporting events, as she bet on many games throughout the year, including the World Series, the NCAA Final Four, and the NBA Finals. When it came to the stock market, she was very consistent, placing wagers on all of the major U.S. stock market indices, as well as the popular game, the Texas Hold ‘Em.