All Blacks fan loses $100,000 after shock defeat by Ireland

An All Blacks fan who gambled NZD$100,000 (£58,500, $73,300) on his team enjoying a perfect season will no doubt have been as surprised as many for his outlandish bet to unravel thanks to Ireland, on Saturday. The win, which is the first of Ireland over New Zealand in more than 100 years, prevented the punter from netting an extra $50,000, according to TripleM.com.

The outlandish bet rested on further victories over Australia, Italy and France. However, at this stage in the season, the punter might have been forgiven for thinking his winnings were a done deal.

However, Ireland exacted their stunning coup over New Zealand at Soldier's field, Chicago to win by a comfortable margin of 40-29. The side dedicated their win to ex-Ireland captain Anthony Foley who died suddenly last month after a build-up of fluid on his lungs, caused by heart disease.

Captain Rory Best said: "It's been a long time coming and history has been made."

Speaking about the player's figure-eight formation in homage to Foley, while New Zealand performed their famous Haka, Best added: "It just felt like the right thing to do and it was our way, as an Irish national team, just to show a mark of respect to Axel [Foley] and his family."

The bet might not have seemed like the tallest of orders considering New Zealand's ranking as world number one. However, as Premier League team Leicester City proved this year, no bets are safe in sport.

Leicester City sparked the biggest ever payout on a single sporting market in British bookmakers' history after winning the Premier League in May, this year. The Foxes, who had narrowly avoided relegation the previous season, started the 2015/16 season as rank outsiders and those who put joke bets on them at the season opening were quoted odds of 5,000-1 against Leicester winning the league title.

As their epic season went on, Jittery fans began to cashed out their bets, thinking they had already pushed their luck. But above all expectations, a 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Tottenham handed Leicester victory to the tune of a record payout of £4.6m by Sky Bet alone.