Every evening at various sporting events, fans are randomly selected from the audience to engage in contests that test their skills and offer tempting prizes, which can sometimes be quite substantial.

Halfcourt shooting competitions have been a staple at high school, college, and professional basketball games for many years. In recent times, a trend has emerged where fans are challenged to putt a golf ball from one end of the court into a small target. This was the scenario for one lucky participant at a Nebraska game, who won a luxurious Porsche valued at $75,000.

Here are some interesting statistics related to these fan-based contests:
In 1993, a Chicago Bulls supporter named Don Calhoun achieved fame by sinking an approximately 80-foot shot from the opposite free-throw line, earning himself a whopping $1 million. Although the insurance company initially claimed he was disqualified due to his participation in a few junior college basketball games, both the Bulls organization and the sponsors ultimately paid Calhoun, cementing that historic shot as a pivotal point for the rise in popularity of such contests.

According to contest insurer SCA Promotions, the likelihood of a random fan making a free throw is approximately 1 in 2. When it comes to a 3-point shot, the chances drop to about 1 in 7. For halfcourt shots, the odds are roughly 1 in 50, though some estimates suggest it may be closer to 1 in 49.

For a fan trying to successfully execute a putt from one end of the court, measuring 94 feet into a mere 3-by-3 inch slot, the probability stands at 1 in 100. Hockey fans face even tougher odds, with a mere 1 in 200 chance of scoring a shot from center ice into a small 4-inch target located 89 feet away from the goal.

In terms of cost, SCA’s estimated insurance premium for covering the potential payout of $10,000 in a halfcourt shooting contest is around $1,000, which would encompass five attempts by different participants. On the other hand, the premium payment to IPG to insure the risk of giving away a $75,000 Porsche Macan, as won by Travis Weber during Nebraska’s Putt for a Porsche event, totaled $16,200 and accounted for eight putting attempts across different games.