Betfair customer wins 1.19 million euros at age 45

A 45-year-old Betfair customer living in Portsmouth won about 1.19 million euros from a stake of about 4,780 euros. The customer had bet that every English Football League match in a 12-leg corners accumulator, played on 24 October, would produce at least 12 corners. The total odds were given as 249,346/1. The operator earlier corrected a figure of 249,345/1 that had circulated on social media.

The winnings were calculated at about 1,191,220.49 euros, based on the European Central Bank reference rate of 23 October. Betfair announced the result first on its official account and then issued a detailed statement on 26 October. The customer said he noticed the accumulator had landed about 30 minutes after the matches ended.

The matches included Oxford United vs Bradford City, Reading vs Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers vs Sheffield Wednesday. Eleven of the matches produced at least 13 corners. Only AFC Wimbledon vs Wycombe Wanderers finished with exactly 12 corners, with the last corner coming in the 76th minute. Betfair said the match statistics matched BBC data.

The customer said he plays a joint accumulator with friends every week, and this time he placed a separate corners bet using the remaining balance in his account. He said he plans to use the winnings to pay off his mortgage, buy a new car for himself and his wife, take a family holiday and attend more matches at Villa Park with his son. He also said he would treat his betting friends. Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom described it as an incredible amount to win from a football accumulator.