999-1 BINOCULAR WINS THE CHAMPION HURDLE
BETFAIR REPORT ON THE BIGGEST BETTING COMEBACK OF ALL TIME
SIX Betfair punters are celebrating this afternoon after backing the Champion Hurdle winner Binocular at the maximum odds of 999-1 on the exchange.
Binocular drifted to the maximum price on Betfair when trainer Nicky Henderson prematurely ruled him out of the Champion just under a month ago – just over £52 was matched (£26 backed; £26 laid) at those odds – and £881 was matched at 99-1 or bigger on the one-time favourite for the race.
In addition, he was also matched at 979-1, 879-1 and all rates down from 719-1 on the exchange.
There were six lucky Betfair backers at 999-1, with £10 being the biggest individual bet struck at those odds.
The other bet sizes were £5.26, £5, £3.20, £2 and 69p – and even the latter bet returned £690 for 69p!
Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin commented: “Kicking King was backed at the maximum odds of 999-1 on Betfair when getting off his sick bed to win the 2005 Gold Cup at the Festival – and now lightning has struck the Cheltenham winning post twice with Binocular repeating the feat.
“The only downside for the winning sextet is that they can never strike a winning single bet at bigger odds in the future!”
