Pensioner wins £500,000 of £54 stake in 'one of best bets of all time'
A pensioner has won almost £500,000 in 'one of best bets of all time' from just a £54 stake.
The 69-year-old Irishman was awarded €558,000 (£480,000) from bookmakers Paddy Power from a 50-cent each-way Lucky 63 bet.
As reported by the Irish Mirror, the unnamed gentleman put just €63 (£54) on all of his six selections to win at the Cheltenham Festival on Friday (13 March).
Lucky 63 consists of 63 different bets of the same value that are placed on the six different selections - that's why the payout was so big.
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Paddy Power said: "What a sensational way to round off Cheltenham week – it's one of the greatest bets of all time.
"When a huge outsider wins the opener the groan from punters can usually be heard all across the Cotswolds, but this customer would have been cheering to the rafters, although little did he know then what was to come."
"I'll be popping around his house later for his lotto numbers this weekend," they joked.
"Seriously, well played, and enjoy the winnings."
It comes after Apolon De Charnie shocked racing fans with a 50-1 victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by his son Patrick, the four-year-old was aiming to keep the trophy in the Closutton stable after Poniros struck at 100-1 on what was his hurdling debut 12 months ago.
Patrick Mullins, who teamed up with his father to win last year’s Grand National with Nick Rockett, said: “He was fantastic. He’s not very big, but he just caught my eye.
"I don’t usually watch the juveniles at home, but he caught my eye and I got a dream run everywhere.
“I’m very proud of my father. I’ve never seen him doubt himself as much as he has this winter.
"You get a lot of advice from people about what you’re doing wrong, but he sticks to his guns and gets it right most of the time.”
Willie Mullins added: “Only 50-1 this year and not 100-1 – I’m so disappointed!
"At least I could stand in the stand and shout ‘go on my son’, which was obviously the biggest thrill, to have Patrick riding it.
“I could see three or four of mine all in with chances and was trying to watch them all, but I’d be watching for Patrick one way or another – whether he had a chance or not – and every time I looked at him I was very happy.
“He came through to win the race at the last, then the other horse (Minella Study) kept going and I thought we were beat, but I loved the horse’s attitude – when he heard the Cheltenham roar, he put down his head and was very brave.”
Anish Vij