After a poorly timed anti-gambling ad from Singapore’s National Council on Problem Gambling, the country received an outcry of heckling and humorous flack from fans of soccer around the world. No one is arguing that gambling, when not kept in check, can cause considerable problems to individuals and families; however, the last line of the TV spot proved to have exceptionally poor timing. “I hope Germany will win,” a little boy says. “My dad bet all my savings on them.”

The commercial aired during the half-time break of Germany and Brazil’s July 9th semifinal World Cup match. At that point, the German steam was already steamrolling their way to a 5-0 victory over a Brazil team that had apparently neglected to eat its Wheaties that morning. By the end of the match, Germany had scored two more goals, putting the final nail in the coffin of a 7-1 victory.

Soccer fans took to social media to deride the National Council on Problem Gambling’s ad, most noting that the little boy’s father from the ad would be screaming for joy at the end of the match. As The Guardian reports, many brokers were made to pay out £2,500 for a small bet of only £5.

World Cup Soccer Among the Most Popular Times to Bet on Sports
While betting on National Football League games is the big thing to do in the United States, with over 50% of the population doing so throughout the season, the big international sports betting event is the World Cup. William Hill, one of the leading sports betting agencies, had already pulled in its goal of £200 million by the time the Germany-Argentina championship match rolled around on July 11. In the United Kingdom alone, upwards of £40 million was placed on the match.

Did you have any money riding on the World Cup? Let us know how it worked out for you in the comment section below.