Man made million dollar shot during basketball game only for company to not intend on paying him

Imagine being bet a million dollars to make a shot in a basketball game, making it and then being told they didn't want to pay you.

Well, one man didn't have to imagine it, because it indeed happened to him.

On 14 April, 1993, Don Calhoun took to the court during a timeout in the third quarter of a Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat game and made an immaculate shot - immediately joyously celebrating, thinking he'd just won $1 million.

Alas, the insurance company that pledged to cough up a million dollars for anyone who made the shot later tried to back out of the deal.

Take a look:

The shot was part of a promotion that offered $1 million to any fan who could make a 80-foot shot through the basket from the free-throw line at the opposite end of the basketball court.

The Chicago Bulls had held the promotion 19 times that year so far and nobody else came close, that was until Calhoun managed to swish the ball through the net.

The odds of Calhoun actually making the shot was less than one percent, which is why everyone at Chicago Stadium celebrated - including NBA legend Michael Jordan - as they had just watched history unfold before their eyes.

Calhoun’s face was printed in newspapers and news stations broadcasting the clip so much that Calhoun became a star and the shot became known as The Calhoun Shot and Immaculate Connection.

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But it was only after Calhoun made the shot that the real chaos began to unfold.

While Calhoun looked exactly like a man who just became $1m richer, the insurance company that was required to pay Calhoun his well-deserved cash, American Hole 'N One Inc, voided the payment when it found out that Calhoun had played college basketball - a violation of the rules.

Insurance companies tend to be strict when it comes to the fine print. Contestants must be randomly selected from the crowd and teams must explain the rules to people taking part.

ABC7 Chicago reports that it’s not unusual for franchises to end up paying contestants themselves if there are any issues. One common stipulation is that contestants can’t have played in an ‘organised’ version of the sport in question before the contest.

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And that's ultimately what ended up happening to Calhoun.

The sponsors of the event, Coca-Cola, the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, and the Bulls, pledged to cover the prize if the insurance company would not.

As a result, Calhoun got $50,000 a year over the next 20 years. He kept his office supplies salesman job and received $38,000 each year after taxes until 2013.

"In reality, you're not rich," he told ABC7 Chicago. "You're not a millionaire."

As of 2023, the ball that was used to make the shot is now in the possession of Calhoun’s son.