Punter wins £47,000 despite losing bet after ‘miraculous’ series of events at Wolverhampton

A RACING punter was celebrating the new year in style – after winning £47,000 despite having a losing bet.

A ‘miraculous’ series of events at Wolverhampton racecourse secured them the jackpot – yet it could have been so much more.

The punter landed the jackpot under the bright lights of Wolverhampton – but it could have been so much moreGetty

The William Hill customer staked £20 in total on five horses and won £47,024.50.

But that tells barely half the story.

One of the horses lost and, had he won, would have netted the punter a truly life-changing £516,000.

The £20 stake was made up of a number of doubles, each-way trebles, four-folds and one £4 each-way five-fold acca.

The audacious punt got off to a great start when Romanovich won at 8-1 in a 1m½f race on the all-weather at Wolverhampton on Tuesday night.

John O’Shea’s five-year-old was punted heavily before the off and returned 9-2 SP under jockey Finley Marsh.

The crucial leg of the bet came next in the 5.30 where the punter backed Tony Carroll’s Gold Standard.

Backed at 17-2 the horse was sent off 7-1 but could only manage fourth.

Winning bet

Romanovich 8-1 Won

Gold Standard 17-2 Lost

Just A Spark 13-2 Won

Reigning Profit 17-2 Won

Havanazam 12-1 Won

Stake: £20

Returns: £47,024.50

That ended the dream of the half a million quid jackpot – but there was still plenty left to play for with the other three horses.

Just A Spark struck in the 7.00 despite a drift from 13-2 to 8-1.

The aptly-named Reigning Profit came in at 17-2 for the punter (6-1 SP) in a Class 5 5f handicap at 8.00.

And that left the biggest-price of all – 12-1 Havanazam – to land the 8.30 and seal the £47,000 payday.

Amazingly, the punter could have got even more cash had they had best odds guaranteed on the race, as Havanazam was sent off a whopping 25-1.

William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “It looked a quiet night at Wolverhampton but one of our customers gave us a bit of a kicking having turned £20 into over £47,000.

“They permed up five horses, four of which won, and had Gold Standard, the second leg of the bet, won they would have taken home over £516,000!”

This is the second huge winner to leave the bookies reeling in as many days.

One Paddy Power customer stung them to the tune of £100,000 with this sensational acca.

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