A once-a-year punter has landed the bet of a lifetime, turning just $2 into several hundred thousand dollars after successfully selecting the first four home in the Melbourne Cup — in the correct finishing order.
The First4 paid a staggering $176,561.60 on the NZ TAB, with the $2 wager returning an extraordinary $351,121.
Sam Moncur, Chief Financial Officer for Entain Australia and New Zealand, said the winning bettor had only placed wagers on each of the past few Melbourne Cups, fitting the profile of the casual Cup fan.
“This is a classic Melbourne Cup fan who has a flutter once a year and spends somewhere between $20 to $40 on a few bets,” Moncur said.
“This year, they put on a quinella, a couple of trifectas and an each-way bet, and have quite brilliantly put the first four horses in exact order on their First4 ticket for double the total First4 dividend.”
Other TAB New Zealand customers also enjoyed notable results, including one punter who turned $12 into nearly $90,000.
“The Melbourne Cup continues to have that allure year after year, and that shows with the figures from this year’s Cup,” Moncur said.
“We had a bit of support for the winner Half Yours off the back of his Caulfield Cup win, and some TAB punters were astute – or lucky – enough to get a slice of the $176,561 First4.
“That’s the beauty of such a big field in the great race.”
If you’re thinking about having a bet on next year’s Melbourne Cup, be sure to compare odds and bonus offers through Australia’s leading bookmakers via our betting sites guide before placing your wager.
