1. The Bet of the Mustache: In 2008, professional poker player Tom Dwan bet his friend $3 million that he wouldn’t be able to grow a mustache that was visible from a distance of 20 feet within six months. His friend succeeded, and Tom had to pay up.
2. The UFO Bet: In 2008, renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking made a bet with John Preskill, a Caltech professor, stating that information going into a black hole is lost forever. After years of debate, Hawking conceded in 2004 and presented Preskill with an encyclopedia as the agreed-upon “prize.”
3. The Falling Chairs Bet: In 2007, a man from England bet £1,000 that he could tip over a line of 50 chairs by flicking them in succession. He managed to accomplish the feat, winning the bizarre wager.
4. The Bet of the Pregnant Man: In 2002, a man named Thomas Beatie bet his wife that he could conceive and give birth to a child. Thomas, who was born female but transitioned to male, became pregnant using artificial insemination and won the bet.
5. The Snail Race Bet: In 1980, professional gambler Brian Zembic received $100,000 to undergo breast augmentation surgery and keep the implants for a year. Although the bet was not officially won or lost, Brian kept the implants for more than 20 years.
6. The Titanic Bet: In 1911, a man named Richard Branson’s great-grandfather bet £100 that the Titanic would sink on her maiden voyage. He ended up winning the bet, as we all know the tragic fate of the Titanic.
7. The Nostradamus Bet: During the 16th century, Nostradamus famously bet that his predictions would still be famous 1,000 years after his death. He won the bet, as his prophecies continue to be widely known and discussed.
8. The Haircut Bet: In 2003, professional golfer Jesper Parnevik bet fellow golfer Sergio Garcia that if Garcia won a tournament, Parnevik would shave his head. Garcia emerged victorious, and Parnevik had his head shaved on the golf course.
9. The Cow Tattoo Bet: In 2006, a man from New Zealand bet his friends £5,000 that he would get a cow tattooed on his buttock. He followed through with the bet and won.
10. The Virtual World Bet: In 2010, a British man named Jon Matthews sold his virtual game character, an elf named Jonneverdie, for $635,000. He had previously bet his friends that he could make a significant amount of money solely through virtual endeavors, winning the wager.