Biggest Horse Racing Bets

Biggest Horse Racing Bets: A good day at the races is any time you get back from the track having made a profit. Some punters have walked away a whole lot more than everyone else, and their winnings are amongst some of the biggest one off betting wins of all time.

Darren Yeats ($790,000)

In 1996 Frankie Dettori made horse racing history by winning all 7 races at Ascot. Few could have predicted such an incredible feat, except one Darren Yeats, who had wagered $84 on Dettori. His ambitious wager brought home $790,000, which is fortunate as he had recently been banned from betting by his wife.

Dettori’s historic win cost the bookies millions in total, as punters began heaping money on the jockey as he won race after race.

Ron Nicholson ($1.2 million)

In 2004 Ron Nicholson from Bournemouth in southern England took home over $1.2 million after correctly predicting 6 correct wins, and putting down a $6 stake.

Very little is known about Ron, except internet rumors that he had lost all his money just a year later.

Fred Craggs ($1.4 million)

In 2013 the British press broke the news that an unknown man had become the first betting shop millionaire, thanks to a winning 8-horse accumulator. Fred, whose stake was just 70 cent, placed what is arguably the most amazing bet in UK bookies history.

The 60-year-old from Manchester cashed in his winning ticket on his birthday, and told the press he would put the money towards his retirement.

Interesting the first winner on his ticket was called Isn’t That Lucky and the final winner was called Dream Come True.

Steve Whiteley ($2 million)

Steve Whiteley has the honor of being the most successful one-time horse racing punter in history, winning $2 million from a $3 stake. Having taken the bus to the racecourse, and entered with a free coupon, he left as a millionaire thanks to his winning Tote Jackpot wager.

The 6-fold accumulator had odds of 879,137:1, which is higher than the odds of being dealt a royal flush, and came in on the day of his wife’s birthday no less.

A heating engineer by trade, he intended to keep working despite his huge payout.