One Guildford-based punter showed incredible insight and nerves of steel when placing a £75 each-way wager on Leicester City when the campaign was just a few weeks old and very few people believed that the club could continue their early-season form.
William Hill have confirmed that the bet is the biggest win on the Foxes to a single customer and that the player in question, who didn't want to be named, refused to cash out despite the skyrocketing value of the bet, netting the full return of £112,500 as a result.
Forgetful Foxes fan misses out on six-figure payout
Plenty of fans make a small pre-season investment on their team outperforming their sizable odds in the upcoming campaign but one Leicester fan was left cursing his forgetful nature this term as the Foxes soared up the table.
John Micklethwait has been placing a yearly £20 wager on his beloved club to win the league since the 1990s and has seen returns in both League One and the Championship. This year though, relocating to the USA distracted the 53-year-old from his annual investment. When asked about his oversight the City fan said: "I miscalculated the odds and thought I had only given up £10,000, not £100,000!”
A Christmas miracle for one Leicester backer
There was some confusion on social media over the identity of the lucky punter but Ladbrokes confirmed the bet was genuine.
Congratulations @WillKirwaan_ on your win, the Christmas drinks are on you... #LCFC #BookieBashing
— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) December 19, 2015
A £5 investment at odds of 1000/1 placed back in August obliged when, after a 3-2 win over Everton at Goodison Park on December 19, the Foxes cemented their position at the top on Christmas Day. The East Midlands club picked up 11 wins and four draws in that time, tasting defeat only once.
Taking a 5p loss on a 5000/1 winner
While it wasn't quite the 5000/1 winner that some lucky punters have profited from in recent weeks, one bettor received a huge Christmas bonus when Claudio Ranieri's men were sitting top of the table on Christmas Day. Cash out can be a useful tool for bettors who have backed selections whose odds have shortened significantly since they did so, often offering the punters an opportunity to take a guaranteed return on all or part of their investment.
That wasn't the case for one player who had 50p on Leicester pre-season at the industry best price of 5000/1, only to cash out the wager for a return of 45p - a 5p loss on his initial stake - after the Foxes' 4-2 win over Sunderland at the King Power Stadium on the opening day of the season.
.... - Goal