Breaking: Some Sports Bettors Were Temporarily Mad

Forty-nine minutes before their game against the New York Jets kicked off, the official Chicago Bears Twitter account announced that Nathan Peterman, who is known for one thing and one thing only, was going to start under center.

Sportsbooks moved the line from Jets -7 to -7.5. Bettors poured an obscene amount of money into play against the Bears. Then something strange happened:

Five minutes prior to kickoff, the Bears told reporters that the starting quarterback was now a game-time decision, and Siemian eventually trotted out to take the opening snap. The bettors who took the Jets based on Peterman getting the start were not pleased and took to Twitter to express their concerns. Some called for all bets on the game to be refunded; others wanted the NFL to investigate and fine the Bears.

It quickly became clear Chicago had no chance. Mike White played well and the Jets secured a 31-10 victory, meaning the winning side wasn't ever truly in doubt. But again, we must stress that some bettors were momentarily mad.

The outrage from bettors on Twitter escalated after Siemian threw a touchdown pass to Byron Pringle to give the Bears a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. The calls for refunds and investigations quieted down in the second half, as quarterback Mike White helped the Jets pull away to an easy 31-10 victory.

Does it suck that a team sent out inaccurate information? Yes, it does. Is there any group less sympathetic than sports gamblers? No, there is not. Have we ever seen a news story about some people being briefly upset en route to a stress-free victory? Also no.

This is a new twist on a classic. Somehow the "please don't put it in the newspaper that I'm mad" has been improved.

Live long enough and you'll see it all.