JR Smith's seemingly meaningless shot in the closing seconds of Game 5 turned out to be worth millions

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June 13, 2017 6:52 AM

With the Cavaliers listed at +9 and +9.5 going into Game 5 of the NBA Finals, JR Smith's 3-pointer with 15 seconds left made a lot of money change pockets.

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On Monday night, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-120 to win their second NBA championship in three years.

But while the victory was enough to please Warriors fans, those who bet on Golden State to cover the spread in Game 5 left the game with a brutal taste in their mouths, all thanks to the Cavaliers' JR Smith.

Going into the game, the Warriors were listed in most sportsbooks as 9- or 9.5-point favorites, meaning that for Warriors bettors to cash in on their tickets, the Warriors had to win by 10 or more points.

With the final seconds of the game ticking away, the crowd in Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, rose to their feet in anticipation of the Warriors' title. The Warriors were sitting pretty with a 12-point lead, then Steph Curry pulled up on a 3-point jumper that would have served as an exclamation point but missed.

At the other end of the court, with nothing but pride at stake, Smith changed gambling outcomes across the country, draining a three with 15 seconds left.

The Warriors inbounded the ball and let the clock run out, and both Warriors fans and Cavaliers bettors started their celebrations.

Needless to say, the fate of millions of dollars shifted on that one shot.

Some were ecstatic with the result:

Others were devastated:

The lesson, as always, is that gambling is a cruel mistress.

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