Horse Racing betting: 999/1 Betfair punt landed

Christmas has come early for one Betfair punter who is getting ready to pay off his mortgage after placing £25 on Captain Crooner, the 14/1 winner of the 12.30 at Southwell today. But the punter won't be paying off a measly £350, he will be able to clear the final 20k off his home loan – as he backed the horse at 999-1 in running on the exchange.

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The horse, backed from 16/1 to 14/1 pre-race, traded at the maximum price of 999/1 on the exchange after making a slow start slowly and soon getting detached from the other runners.

The punter demonstrated a cool head in the heat of the moment by ensuring that he couldn't lose whatever happened! Posting under the name "Manchesterskytrain" on the Betfair forum immediately after his five-figure coup the Warrington-based winner explained:

"£25 of it [money backed at 999/1] was mine, i can pay my mortgage off now, i am going mental here, it's my 2nd 1000 winner and I only have £2 on the other, this is by far my biggest win."

"I laid it @ 44 early in the race, just after halfway stage so i wanted out of the bet and asked for £25 which was all matched at the 1000, i laid it again @ 80 to make sure I won something on the race and ended up winning just over £20k after commission."

There were also two other Betfair customers who backed the horse at 999/1 and netted just under £3,000 apiece, with one getting £3 matched and the other £2.49.

Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin commented: "I feel justified in trotting out the cliché that Christmas really has come early for three Betfair customers. And the punter who had £25 on Captain Crooner at the ceiling price of 999/1 must literally be taking a leaf out of Lionel Richie's book - and dancing on the ceiling, which he is now soon to own outright!"

Click here for a free £25 to bet on horse racing at Betfair