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A little goes a long way, as shown by these extraordinary punts taken by those with a fancy for a flutter.
Leciester City win the Premier League
Odds: 5,000/1
What more needs to be said? From narrowly avoiding relegation the previous season to table-topping titans the next. Not just one of the biggest sporting upsets off all time, but also one of the most lucrative – one lucky winner bought a house with his payout.
Dettori’s Magnificent Seven
Odds: 25,095/1
Frankie Dettori tore up the record books with a seemingly disbelieving seven straight victories at Ascot in 1996. Some lucky chancers earned more than £500,000 apiece thanks to the diminutive Italian. The bookmakers took the hit so badly it lead one to compare it to “Armageddon”.
Mali’s 16-minute 4-goal salvo
Odds: 1,000/1
With Mali 4-0 down to Angola during the opening match of the 2010 African Cup of Nations, most of their fans thought their only salvation could be found at the bottom of a pint glass. But one supporter found it at the bookies, placing a £5 bet on Mali scoring four goals to draw the game. With just 16 minutes left to play, the team pulled it off and the man won £5,000.
Luck of the Irish
Odds: 20,000/1
Conor Murphy went from stable lad to millionaire after he put down a £50 accumulator bet on five of his boss’ horses winning races at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival. They duly did and Murphy rode off into the sunset (probably) with £1 million. Not bad for someone who described himself as “Not the greatest tipster”.
F1 fan’s Hamilton hunch
Odds: 1,250/1
Formuala 1’s Lewis Hamilton began his racing career in go-karting, honing his skills where a spectator saw him race. Convinced the then 13-year-old would win the F1 world championship, he put his money where his mouth was and bet £100 on the teenager achieving the feat. 10 years later, when Hamilton claimed his first title, the man pocketed £125,000.
Loose change brings a big change
Odds: 133,333/1
Just 15p saw this anonymous Sky Bet customer trouser £20,000 after correctly calling the results of all four games in his football accumulator. With his winnings coming in December, it would have been a very happy Christmas, as well as proving that if you look after the pennies they really will look after you.
Wishing Well
Odds: 947/1
We’re stunned when a horse with odds of 100/1 comes through to win a race. But how about one with odds more than nine times bigger than that? Three lucky punters in America won a packet after putting a few bucks on Wishing Well to win at Kentucky’s Latonia track in 1912. Its odds are still the longest ever against a single winning horse in American history.
Astonishing Accumulator
Odds: 688,404/1
Most of us struggle to predict one football result, but what about 19? No problem for one gambler, with this bold accumulator bet. Despite only putting down 85p, outlandish odds meant he stung the bookies to the tune of £585,143. How unlikely was this bet? Going on bookmaker’s odds, you’d be 100 times more likely to discover the Loch Ness Monster or find Elvis alive.
Do you know any outrageous sports bets? Let us know below
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