The Sun
By JOHN TROUP
ARMY chef Mark Simmons has landed a staggering £164,776 windfall — with a football bet of just FOUR POUNDS.
Mark, 24, of Doncaster, won what is thought to be the biggest-ever payout on one footie accumulator by predicting the winners of 18 games.
The clincher came as Manchester United buried Everton with a late three-goal blitz.
Mark, 24, watched squirming for 86 minutes as the Red Devils struggled to break the deadlock in Monday’s live televised clash at Old Trafford.
He stood to win NOTHING if the score remained at 0-0. But with just four minutes left, Scholes pounced to set United on their way — before a penalty from Ruud van Nistelrooy and a spectacular second from Scholes sealed a 3-0 home Premiership win.
Army chef Mark, a lifelong Doncaster Rovers fan, had already amassed £128,159.73 from a £4 footie accumulator bet as he sat down to watch the match on Sky.
But despite 17 correct predictions in the bag, he was on tenterhooks until England ace Scholes gave United the lead.
Mark, serving with 19 Regt Royal Artillery at Colchester Garrison, Essex, saw the game at a pal’s house. He said last night: “It was the longest 86 minutes of my life. I was that wound up that I couldn’t even drink a drop of beer.
“I didn’t know exactly how much I stood to make if United won — but I knew it was a hell of a lot of money. They were pouring forward, but didn’t look like scoring.
“When Scholesy finally broke through I went absolutely ballistic.”
Mark placed his £4 bet at Ladbrokes in Colchester High Street last Saturday.
Fifteen of his 18 games — including Watford’s win over Brighton and Torquay’s victory at Carlisle came that day. Two more — Arsenal’s win over Sunderland and Liverpool’s defeat of Chelsea — were played on Sunday, before United conquered Everton.
Mark said: “I always do a few accumulators and usually stick £4 on each one, but I’d never won much until now. I’m a big footie fan, but needed help with some lower division games. So I turned to The Sun forecasts and chose the winners that way.”
Mark plans to spend his winnings on a house in Darlington, Co Durham, for wife Melanie, 23, and their daughter Katie, two.
He said: “Melanie knew what was riding on the United game and we spoke on the phone as soon as the final whistle sounded.
“She was ecstatic. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her about cars or holidays yet — she’s been too busy touring estate agents.
“It’s a hell of a lot of money when you’re on Army wages, but I won’t be jacking the day job in. I love the Army life too much.”
The odds against Mark winning his bet were put at 40,000-1 by Ladbrokes experts. Company spokesman Dave Greenwood said: “We believe Mark’s win is the biggest ever payout on a football accumulator bet.
“It just shows you can win big even when you haven’t staked much money.”
Last year, a punter from Lichfield, Staffs, won £500,000 from a 30p bet on a 15-part football, rugby and cricket accumulator.
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