Founded in 1995 in Perth, Western Australia, Perth Glory has become one of the symbols of local football. The team has won numerous prestigious titles, including four National Soccer League and A-League championships, as well as cups. However, there have been matches in the club's history that have caused a real sensation, leading to large payouts on bets due to unexpected outcomes.
One of the most dramatic matches in Perth Glory's history, according to morospin-au.com, took place on 14 April 2024 in the A-League. The visitors from Perth faced league champions Melbourne City on their home turf at AAMI Park. Before the game, Melbourne City were considered the clear favourites: the team was leading the table with a series of 8 wins in their last 10 matches, with a powerful attack led by players such as Jamie MacLaren and Nicholas Fitzpatrick. The odds for a Melbourne City win hovered around 1.25, while Perth Glory's were around 8.00, and the odds for an exact score of 8-0 exceeded 100.00, making such a bet extremely risky.
The match began with the hosts dominating: they opened the scoring in the 12th minute and led 4-0 at half-time. In the second half, the pressure intensified, with goals coming thick and fast. Perth Glory was unable to organise its defence, with mistakes by the goalkeeper and defenders leading to a complete rout. The final score of 8-0 was the worst defeat in the club's 29-year history.
For Melbourne City, it was a perfect demonstration of strength, but for betting, it was a gold mine. Those who predicted such a rout received payouts hundreds of times greater than their stake. According to sports analysts, one of the recorded cases brought in around AUD 500,000 from a small stake of AUD 5,000 on a high total and a big win.
On 1 August 2017, Perth Glory took part in the Australia Cup 1/32 final match against the National Premier Leagues (NPL) Victoria team Heidelberg United. It was a classic David versus Goliath story: Perth Glory finished the previous A-League season in 5th place, qualifying for the playoffs, and had a star-studded lineup with players like Mark Breeze and Adam Taggart. Heidelberg, on the other hand, was a mid-table regional league team, but in excellent form — leading the NPL Victoria. The odds reflected the difference in class: a Perth win was 1.30, a draw was 4.50, and a Heidelberg win was 7.00. Bets on the exact score, such as 0-1 in favour of the underdog, were valued at 15.00-20.00.
The game was played at the Olympic Village Stadium in Melbourne. Perth Glory started strongly, but Heidelberg unexpectedly scored first in the 28th minute thanks to a precise strike from Adrian Zahra, a former A-League player. The visitors were unable to turn the tide: Heidelberg's defence, led by captain Luke Biles, neutralised the attacks, while their counterattacks posed a threat.
In the second half, Perth missed several chances, and the match ended in a narrow 1-0 victory. This was only the fourth time in the history of the cup that an NPL team had beaten an A-League club. For Perth Glory, the defeat meant an early exit, and for bettors, it meant a big win. One bettor reportedly won around $200,000 by betting on Heidelberg to win with a total of less than 2.5 goals.
The recent match on 14 December 2024 against Newcastle Jets was another example of where bets on Perth Glory brought unexpected dividends — but for their opponents. The game was played at their home stadium, HBF Park in Perth. At that point, Perth Glory was at the bottom of the A-League table, with a streak of seven consecutive losses and only four wins for the season. Newcastle Jets, on the other hand, were fighting for a playoff spot, with a strong attack led by Apollo Lewis and Valentin Andreevski. The odds were: Jets to win — 2.20, Perth — 3.00, but for a big score like 4-0 in favour of the visitors — around 25.00.
The match turned out to be one-sided: the Jets scored the first goal in the 9th minute and led 3-0 by the 35th minute. Perth was unable to respond - their defence collapsed and their goalkeeper made mistakes. In the second half, the Jets added another goal in the 67th minute, completing a 4-0 rout. This defeat brought Perth closer to the league record for the longest unbeaten streak (then 17 games without a win) and became one of the most humiliating defeats on home turf.
For betting, it was a celebration: the odds on the Jets ( 2.5) and the total over 3.5 goals played out perfectly. Winnings of up to $300,000 were recorded from bets on a complete rout, given that the Jets had not lost in their last five away games.