How do you make up for the disappointment of narrowly missing out on winning £35,900 on a football coupon? By landing almost £12,000 with your other bet.
That’s what happened to Spalding punter Spike Jeffery, whose £10 football accumulator landed him a windfall at Ladbrokes in Sheep Market.
He correctly predicted the outcomes of 11 matches – and won £11,888.37 after sweating over the result of a late kick-off, which Arsenal narrowly won.
Spike, who was watching the match against QPR on TV with wife Lesa and her parents, said: “I was kicking every ball and making every save!
“I got a bit nervy because Arsenal missed a penalty and had a player sent off. Then they were left hanging on to a 2-1 lead at the end.”
The full-time whistle put an end to the agony, but Spike could actually have been almost £48,000 richer in total had Rochdale not lost at Scunthorpe United earlier on Boxing Day. It was the one wrong result on his 12-match £5 accumulator.
However, another person who was delighted with the “consolation” win was Lesa, who promptly put in a request for a new kitchen at their home in The Parkway.
Groundworker Spike (41) said: “Because it was Christmas I’d had a couple of bets.
“I normally have a £5 or £10 accumulator each week, depending on what takes my fancy. I usually go for anywhere between eight and 11 matches.
“Then I go home and sit in front of Gillette Soccer Saturday and start to tick them off.”
He added: “I’ve been so close to a big win before but a Man United or Liverpool or Celtic result would let me down.”
Spike’s previously largest win on a football coupon was £1,000 but a few years ago he scooped $12,700 at poker (about £8,000 at the time).
It’s certainly odds-on that Spike is in the elite group of punters who are playing with bookies’ money.
HOW THE WIN WAS WON
ARSENAL v Queens Park Rangers (odds 3-10)
Burnley v LIVERPOOL (10-11)
Crystal Palace v SOUTHAMPTON (6-5)
Leicester City v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (11-10)
SWANSEA v Aston Villa (4-5)
West Brom v MAN CITY (8-15)
Birmingham v DERBY COUNTY (5-4)
BOURNEMOUTH v Fulham (8-11)
MIDDLESBROUGH v Nottingham Forest (17-20)
Wallsall v SWINDON (11-8)
Oxford Utd v SHREWSBURY TOWN (6-5)
(Teams in capitals are the ones Spike backed to win)
