The Longest Losing Streaks in Sports

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 21 June 2023

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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• Longest Losing Streaks: What We’ll Cover
• Longest Losing Streak in Pro Sports: The Buffalo Bills Nightmare
• Chicago Cardinals’ 29-Game Skid
• Caltech Basketball’s 207 Defeats
• Prairie View A&M Football’s 80 Losses
• Philadelphia 76ers’ 28 Straight
• Other Notable Losing Streaks Teams Wish We Didn’t Remember
• Frequently Asked Questions

Have you ever wondered about the longest losing streaks in sports history? Well, that’s the topic for today’s post. We’re going to explore some incredible stories about losing streaks, with teams that have given it their all, but continued to lose. Some have a happy ending, while others… not so much. Hopefully, this will inspire you to work and train harder, and remember (most of the time) there’s always a chance of a comeback.

Longest Losing Streaks: What We’ll Cover

In this blog, we’ll look at the stories of teams with the longest losing streaks in sports, from the Buffalo Bills’ four consecutive Super Bowl losses to the Philadelphia 76ers’ record-breaking 28-game losing streak. We’ll also tell you all about the Caltech Beavers’ incredible losing streak and Prairie View A&M’s 80-game consecutive loss streak.

While some of these stories can be a bit depressing for fans of the mentioned teams, it’s incredible that most teams and players stuck at it, determined to turn things around.

Longest Losing Streak in Professional Sports: The Buffalo Bills Nightmare

The Buffalo Bills’ losing streak in the early 90s is a moment in sports no serious fan will ever forget. Between 1990 and 1993, the Bills reached the Super Bowl four consecutive times, only to lose every single one. It’s hard enough to get to the Super Bowl as it is, and to lose four times in a row almost defies reality. It was a major blow to players and fans from around the world.

The 1990 season is where it all started, and the Bills lost to the New York Giants in a pretty close game. Unfortunately, the Bills missed a late field goal attempt in the final seconds, giving the Giants the win. In 1991, the Bills faced the Washington Redskins, but they were completely outplayed and lost.

The next year, in 1992, they went up against the Dallas Cowboys, but the Cowboys proved too strong, again defeating the Bills. Finally, in 1993, the Bills once again faced the Cowboys, and again, lost.

It’s a pretty incredible feat to reach the Super Bowl four times in a row and lose every single one. While the players and coaches pushed themselves to their limits, it wasn’t enough, and fans were, understandably, devastated.

While it’s true that the Bills didn’t bring home a Super Bowl trophy during those four years, they did leave a lasting impact on the world of sports. They may not have the longest losing streak in professional sports history, but in our opinion, it’s definitely the most disappointing for fans.

Chicago Cardinals’ 29-Game Skid

The Chicago Cardinals, an NFL team now known as the Arizona Cardinals, faced one of the most challenging periods between 1942 and 1945. During these years, they managed to suffer an astonishing 29-game losing streak, the longest in the history of the league. In fact, it’s the longest losing streak in professional sports to this day.

The Cardinals’ losing streak began during the 1942 season, and they failed to win a game until 1945. This was during World War II, so many of the team’s players were automatically enlisted into military service, and the remaining roster was, essentially, composed of well-below-average players. With a lack of success on the field, the morale of the remaining players suffered greatly, and this only made their record for most losses in a row worse.

Despite their challenging circumstances, the Cardinals managed to push forward, and their losing streak finally ended in 1945, the same year the Allies defeated Nazi Germany. The Cardinals’ run is the longest losing streak in sports history and a reminder that setbacks are a part of life, and that things aren’t always fair.

Caltech Basketball’s 207 Defeats

Caltech Basketball has one of the longest losing streaks in sports history, and the most in college history. Their staggering 207-game losing streak began in 1996 and lasted all the way through until 2007! It would be funny, if it wasn’t so sad; eleven years without winning a single game, yet the team continued to show-up, play, and give it their best.

“The Beavers”, as they’re often called, faced a number of challenges during their losing streak. According to one athlete, balancing academic responsibilities with sports simply wasn’t feasible with the way the college had set things up.

However, despite their continued losses, the players and coaches refused to give up, and they continued training each week and playing other college teams. This determination finally paid off in 2007 when they managed to secure a win against Bard College, ending the 11-year losing streak and putting the team back on the right path.

Prairie View A&M Football’s 80 Losses

Between 1989 and 1998, the Prairie View A&M football team faced one of the worst performance periods in their history. In 1991 alone, they were outscored 617-48, an average per-game score of 56-5. In total, they lost 80 games in a row, making it the longest football losing streak in NCAA history.

Unfortunately, because of financial difficulties, Prairie View shut down its football program in 1989, only for it to return two years later. However, there was no scholarship fund available for the team, and, as a result, no scholarships could be awarded.

The remainder of the FCS – known then as Division I-AA – decided to up their game at the same time, awarding partial scholarships to their athletes. This put Prairie View at even more of a disadvantage when they eventually played their first match in 1991.

Shockingly, the team – known as “The Panthers” – went a staggering nine seasons without winning a game. They also pretty much doubled the previous longest losing streak, which was held by Columbia; 44 games lost in total.

Philadelphia 76ers’ 28 Straight

In 2015, the Philadelphia 76ers went through the most challenging time in their history, enduring 28 consecutive losses. What’s more, as this losing streak spanned across two seasons and one offseason, the team ended up going 249 days without a single win. This losing streak set the record for the longest in NBA history. While team morale was highly impacted, both players and fans refused to give up.

However, there’s a bit more to this story than meets the eye. You see, the front office of the team decided that they needed to lose games for high draft picks. As a result, they purposely fielded the least experienced players they could. While they didn’t deliberately lose games, they did put out players they knew couldn’t compete and, in total, they had 14 different starting lineups.

Their strategy worked, and they finally “decided” to end their losing streak in 2016, when they won their first game in almost a year, against the Lakers. However, after this win, the 76ers went on to lose another 12 games in a row.

Other Notable Losing Streaks Teams Wish We Didn’t Remember

In this section, we will look at more examples of teams that faced lengthy losing streaks. In the table below, you’ll be able to see other notable teams who endured agonizing losing streaks, both for the teams and the players.

Losing streaks in sports can occur for various reasons, and as you’ve seen, no team is immune from them. Of course, one of the biggest reasons for losing streaks is injuries to key players. When a team loses one or more of its star athletes, it can significantly impact their performance and lead to a series of losses.

Another fairly common factor that sometimes leads to losing streaks is a lack of team cohesion. When players struggle to communicate effectively or work together, it can create problems on the field or court, leading to a dip in performance. Additionally, coaching changes or disagreements between players and coaches can disrupt a team’s rhythm and result in a string of losses.

This is why, when you’re betting on sports, you should always look at a team’s recent form. It can help give you a solid idea about their morale, which players are fit and healthy, and how likely they are to win upcoming games. Be sure to check out our dedicated sportsbook pages, where you’ll find links to the best MLB mobile wagering sites, football betting sites, and more.