We all have known people since grade school who literally can never admit they are wrong. We tend to forget that these people grow up into adults. They do, and we see this with liberals who, even when presented with deadly, unimpeachable FACT, cannot organically grasp it, ever, because it flies in the face of what they believe.
It's hard to admit to someone else that they were wrong, but to be honorable, the loser of the bet pays the wager, in a mutually agreed-upon transaction.
Government operates under totally different protocols and regulations where heads or tails, the taxpayer/property owner is guilty and owes money, unless of a Federally-protected demographic.