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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Fionnula Hainey

Lucky granddad, 85, bags huge £2,600 windfall on ‘truly remarkable’ 90,000/1 3p bet

An 85-year-old grandad walked away with more than £2,600 after betting just 3p at his local bookies.

Janus Wagonback, known as George, claimed winnings of £2,686.04 after betting that the 10 matches his football accumulator would all be draw.

The oddswere just short of 90,000-1.

Wagonback, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, is a regular customer at his local Betfred branch in Nottinghamshire.

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The bookmakers would usually only allow bets of more than 5p - but said they made an exception for their loyal punter.

Speaking about his shocking win, Mr Wagonback said: “I’ve had some significant wins on the football over the years, much bigger than this one.

“But then again, I usually bet more than 3p, which is basically loose change that I had in my pocket.”

He says he's won much bigger bets before - but never with such a small stake (PA)

Lucky Mr Wagonbeck bet that 10 of last week's matches – Millwall-Preston, Wimbledon-Cheltenham, Bradford-Leyton Orient, Colchester-Rochdale, Swindon-Crawley, Dundee-Dundee United, Hibernian-Hearts, Ross County-Aberdeen, St Mirren-Motherwell and a World Cup Qualifier between Lebanon and Iraq – would end in a draw.

“I was confident the Scottish games would all be draws, as they often are up there,” he said.

“I didn’t know I’d won until I checked the paper the next day.

“I did feel good, but can’t jump around much these days – only little jumps.”

Mr Wagonback is originally from Budapest in Hungary but moved to the UK as a political refugee in the 1950s.

He is an experienced chess player, having represented his club in Mansfield, and was also named Mr Nottingham in 1969 on the back of his fitness and body-building exploits.

He said: “I have always been a winner because I set my mind to achieve things.

“My ambition is to skin Betfred for a million.”

Betfred boss Fred Done said: “I’ve been in this business for over 50 years, and cannot remember anyone winning so much from just three pence.

“It is a truly remarkable win, with him beating odds of virtually 90,000/1.”

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