I don't have to go any farther back than a recent college football weekend to find a defeat that was absolutely crushing. The team I had taken points with had just scored to pull to within six points, and were ready to kick the extra point. If successful (and if you are not familiar with it, this is a routine exercise), that would bring them to within five points and just inside the point spread of 5.5 points, with time running out.

So what happens? The extra point is blocked, and to add insult to injury, the other team runs the ball back all the way to score two points.

This went beyond bizarre.

But we weren't done yet.

Thankfully I was not disadvantaged by this one, but in a game later that night between USC and Utah, Utah was about to kick a field goal to tie the game up, and they were already covering the spread. But USC blocks the kick and returns it for a touchdown. But wait - their players had started to come onto the field before their guy crossed the goal line, which called for a penalty. The referee nullified the touchdown, which meant USC did not cover. But two hours later, the conference officials overturned that ruling, which meant that USC had INDEED covered.

Well, in all the confusion, let's put it this way - if you did not collect that night, you felt like you were screwed.

That is the perfect example of what we call a BAD BEAT.

When all is said and done, the most simple definition of a "bad beat" is one that happens to YOU. But the more literal definition is a situation where you justifiably have a very high expectation of winning, and something comes out of nowhere (and I mean NOWHERE) to take that win away from you. And you feel helpless as it is unfolding in front of you.

Perhaps this has happened to you several times. And it doesn't have to be on sports betting sites. It can happen at a poker table, the blackjack table; anywhere, really. Maybe it is yet to happen. When it does, you'll be hurting.