Man Wakes From Life-Saving Surgery To Find Wife Won £25,000 From 50p Bet

A man woke from life-saving surgery to find his wife had won £25,000 ($32,297) on a 50p bet.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, Peter Smith suffered a heart attack and was rushed to King's College Hospital, London, for emergency surgery.

But just a few hours later, and the 70-year-old's fortunes had been turned on their head - quite literally.

SWNS

His wife Winnie - with whom he has two children and three grandchildren - had placed a 50p bet on Friday and all of her numbers came in.

Peter, from Sidcup, Kent, said: "It all happened in a few hours. I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance in the early hours and had my operation almost straight away.

"Then Winnie was on the phone as I was coming round five hours later to see how it had gone when she told me the amazing news. It did me a lot of good."

Winnie scooped the prize at her local Betfred when her numbers 2,8,13,24 and 32 (based on their wedding day and family birthdays) were all drawn on the 49's numbers game.

Winnie, also 70, said: "I put the bet on like usual for the Saturday draw on the Friday and then in the early hours of Saturday Peter had his heart attack.

"They knew what was wrong and more or less went straight in for the operation to fit stents at King's College Hospital at Denmark Hill.

"With all the Covid restrictions, I couldn't visit him but knew when I did speak to him by phone on the recovery ward I knew I would be able to cheer him up with the news that we were £25,000 better off."

SWNS

Now - with their future looking far brighter than it did just a few days ago - the couple are planning to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in style next year with a luxury cruise to the Caribbean or the Maldives.

Winnie said: "I don't drink or smoke and just like to have a little flutter.

"It was the best news we could have had. We've got more money now for our new conservatory at home and enough to pay for the very best big holiday next year when it is our golden wedding anniversary and hopefully things are back to normal and people can travel once again."

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Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey