Capitalizing on Brazil's resounding sporting defeat, a Russian woman won 223,000 rubles ($6,557) by correctly guessing that the South American nation would be trounced 7-1 by Germany on Tuesday.
The win was reported on Facebook by an employee of Russian search engine Yandex, who identified the winner as a colleague.
The woman bet just 100 rubles ($2.94), which indicates odds of 2,230 to 1 — even worse than what the British bookies were offering, according to The Guardian.
Four Brits bet on the unprecedented result of the World Cup semi-final against odds ranging from 300:1 to 500:1, the British newspaper reported Wednesday.
Britain outmatches Russia for risk-takers: Only three people in Russia bet on the 7-1 outcome, Brazil's worst defeat in history, the Russian winner's colleague said.
The man later deleted his post, but not before confirming its authenticity to The Moscow Times. His information could not be independently verified as he declined to provide further information or identify the bookmaker.
Russia could have faced off against Germany in the last 16 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Brazil if it had made it through the group stage. That did not happen, as the Russian side, which will be the host nation at the 2018 World Cup, lost to Belgium and failed to overcome Algeria and South Korea.
"Thank God we did not have to face Germany," ran the sentiment on Russian social networks, with some users speculating that the score of that potential game could have reached double digits.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.