Chuba Akpom, the dynamic English forward with Nigerian roots, has long been a polarizing figure in the Championship. Emerging from Arsenal's academy, his career trajectory took him through loans and spells abroad before exploding into life at Middlesbrough during the 2022-23 season. That year, Akpom netted 29 goals across all competitions, becoming the league's top scorer and propelling Boro to fourth place.
His blistering form turned underdog bets at Wagerland into life-changing payouts for punters who backed him early. While specific individual stories remain private, the odds shifts and match outcomes created windfalls for those wagering on his goals, team victories, and over lines.
The Comeback Double: Middlesbrough vs Sheffield United (August 14, 2022)
Akpom's resurgence began on a humid evening at the Riverside Stadium, where Middlesbrough hosted promotion rivals Sheffield United. Coming off a dismal previous campaign with just nine goals, Akpom entered the match as a peripheral figure under new manager Chris Wilder. Pre-game odds listed Boro at 2.80 to win, with Akpom to score anytime hovering around 3.50—reflective of his diminished status.
The Blades struck first through Ben Brereton Diaz in the 12th minute, silencing the home crowd and pushing Boro toward another frustrating start. United dominated possession at 58 percent, peppering goalkeeper Zack Steffen with shots. Yet Akpom, starting upfront alongside Andraz Sporar, showed flashes of his Arsenal-honed movement. In the 37th minute, he latched onto a loose ball in the box, swivelled past defender Anel Ahmedhodzic, and rifled a low drive into the bottom corner for 1-1. The goal, his first in 11 months, sparked chaos among bettors; live odds for a Boro win shortened to 2.20.
The second half unfolded as a tense arm-wrestle, with United's Iliman Ndiaye rattling the crossbar. But in the 76th minute, Akpom struck again. Collecting a long diagonal from Ryan Hackney, he outmuscled John Egan and chipped goalkeeper Wes Foderingham with exquisite composure. The 2-2 draw secured a point, but for punters who backed Akpom to score twice at opening odds of 12.00, a modest £10 stake ballooned to £120 profit.
The Festive Hat-Trick: Middlesbrough vs Wigan Athletic (December 26, 2022)
Boxing Day at the Riverside turned into a goal feast, pitting struggling Wigan against a resurgent Middlesbrough side under Michael Carrick. Wigan, rooted to the bottom with just two wins all season, were 6.00 underdogs, while Boro's moneyline sat at 1.40. Akpom, now with 11 goals by mid-December, was priced at 1.80 anytime scorer—a steal given his streak.
Wigan shocked the 24,000-strong crowd by taking the lead in the 13th minute via Will Keane's header from a corner. Boro's response was immediate and ruthless. Akpom equalized in the 22nd minute, bundling home a rebound after Cameron Archer's shot was parried by Ben Amos. Seven minutes later, he pounced again, volleying a Marcus Tavernier cross past a static defense for 2-1. The hat-trick came in the 52nd minute: a clinical finish from Isaiah Jones' through-ball, wrong-footing Amos and sealing his treble.
Boro added a fourth through Duncan Watmore in the 68th, but the damage was done. The 4-1 rout confirmed Wigan's relegation woes and minted fortunes for bettors. A £5 wager on Akpom to score a hat-trick, offered at 25.00 pre-match, returned £125—modest but multiplied across global platforms. Over 3.5 goals bets, starting at 2.10, paid out handsomely as the game exploded with 17 total shots.
The Milestone Rout: Middlesbrough vs Reading (March 4, 2023)
By early March, Akpom's 19 goals had Middlesbrough dreaming of playoffs, but Reading arrived as desperate spoilers, fighting their own points deduction mess. The Royals were 5.50 outsiders, with Boro firm 1.50 favorites. Akpom's anytime goal line? A banker at 1.40, underscoring his transformation into a Championship terror.
Reading's defense, leaky with 50 goals conceded already, crumbled early. Akpom opened the scoring in the 9th minute, tapping in after Josh Coburn's shot deflected into his path. The second came midway through the first half: a curling effort from 20 yards that deceived Joel Pereira, making it 2-0. Boro's dominance grew, with 62 percent possession and 14 shots by halftime. Akpom's brace took him to 21 league goals, eclipsing Bernie Slaven's club record from 1990 for a single second-tier season.
The second half saw Boro cruise, adding goals from Coburn and Riley McGree for a 5-0 thrashing. Reading managed one shot on target, their misery complete. Punters who loaded up on Akpom over 1.5 goals at 3.75 odds saw £10 become £37.50, while clean sheet and win combos at 2.80 delivered steady returns.
The Record Home Streak Clincher: Middlesbrough vs Hull City (April 19, 2023)
As the season wound down, Middlesbrough hosted Hull in a match with playoff implications hanging heavy. Hull, mid-table but punchy on counters, drew 3.00 odds, while Boro's home form under Carrick made them 1.95 jabs. Akpom, chasing 30 goals, was 1.50 to net—his ninth straight home scoring game on the line.
Hull led 1-0 at halftime courtesy of Allahyar Sayyadmanesh's header, exploiting a rare Boro lapse. The Tigers pressed, with 48 percent possession and four corners in the opening 45. Post-interval, Carrick's tweaks ignited a blitz. In the 55th minute, Hayden Hackney leveled with a deflected drive. Cameron Archer nodded the hosts ahead three minutes later from a Jones cross. Then, in the 61st, Akpom sealed history: controlling Jones' low delivery, he spun and lashed a first-time shot into the far corner for 3-1.
The final 30 minutes were a procession, Boro's defense—led by Rav van den Berg—repelling Hull's late surges. Akpom's strike marked him as the first Championship player to score in nine consecutive home games, a feat last approached by Dele Adebola in 2001. Bettors on the win after trailing (4.50 odds) profited big, as did those on Akpom scoring last at 5.00. A £20 stake on his goal returned £30, but combined with the comeback, totals exceeded £100 for many. This win kept Boro's top-six hopes alive, turning Akpom into a betting icon.
Akpom's Middlesbrough odyssey ended with a £12.3 million move to Ajax, but his Championship exploits left an indelible mark on English football's betting landscape. From overlooked loanee to goal machine, he delivered payouts that echoed long after the final whistles.
