The Premier League returned to Saturday afternoon at the weekend, but one racing punter at Newmarket had their eyes on a different multi-million-pound prize – and gave it a good shot with five winners eventually working out at 4,617/1.
Get over to PaddyPower.com for all the latest racing oddsBut it all could’ve been so much more.
Their 1p (yes, you read that right) 247-bet each-way goliath bet – total stake £4.94 – on Saturday would’ve returned a frankly ridiculous £7,078,439 if all eight selections had romped home.
That’s enough to buy a tenth of Harry Maguire – maybe he’d turn a bit faster if he was 10% smaller, no?
As it turns out, this punter will have to make do with £22,812, which might be enough for a bead of sweat of Slabhead’s granite brow.
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The first leg to disappoint happened before the off when Clareyblue was a non-runner at 3/1 in the 1.05 at Newmarket – though thankfully Lexington Dash had obliged in the day’s opener 35 minutes earlier at 2/1 to get the ball rolling.
But million quid wagers aren’t made from 2/1 shots, and it was several spectacular double-digit calls that delivered the five-figure pay-out from a £5 stake.
Spirit of Sisra, at 28/1, saw off an odds-on favourite to take the third race, and our plucky punter had him in his epic eight-horse bet, and 18/1 Amazing News followed in the next race with another unlikely win, ramping up the possible return in the 2:15 race.
Three runners, three wins. Not bad at all.
Ventura Open placed second in the next at 11/2 – that £2.47 on the e/w counted for something there – before ANOTHER 28/1 shot, Al Mutathar, powered home to upset several more fancied runners and land another win in this giant gamble.
And incredibly, the next race threw up another long-odds win, with 16/1 Zabeel Champion taking the honours in the 3:55.
These five winners returned £22,812 from the £4.94 total stake on this mammoth bet.
Luckily for Paddy, the final runner, Brandon Castle in the 4:25, finished fourth at a tasty 50/1, otherwise he’d be on beans on toast for the month.
For now, this Goliath is still standing… just.
Get over to PaddyPower.com for all the latest racing odds