Dave wins £47,000 in horse-racing bet

Dave Parsons, who has backed horses for more than 25 years, struck gold on a £7 bet on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

The 51-year-old, of Sabden, was in dreamland when four of his horses romped home to win and bagged him the five-figure sum.

Former Burnley FC season ticket holder Dave had waited a lifetime for the “big one”. He said: “I kept saying ‘I will get it one day’ – most punters do. But Friday morning I went in with £20 in my wallet and by Friday afternoon I had £47,000 in my pocket.

“It is absolutely amazing. It has not sunk in yet.”

Dave put a “Lucky 31” bet on Tiger Roll at 10-1, Very Wood at 40-1, Don Poli at 12-1 and Savello at 28-1 during the races at Cheltenham.

He watched as the first three horses powered home to victory – which guarenteed him £1,400.

But Dave, who once had a stake in racehorse Rumcay, was sent into raptures as he listened on the radio to Savello storm through to win him the huge sum.

He said: “I could not believe what the commentator was saying when Savello was coming through to win.

“Can you imagine being sat at home and winning £47,000? I ran out into the street screaming.

“I had to get someone I knew to check it was real.”

The £47,000 was the largest sum ever paid out at the Paddy Power bookmakers in Accrington where he bought the ticket.

Dave, whose last big win was £2,800 in Galway 16 years ago, popped to his local, the Pendle Witch, for a celebratory beer to cheers and applause.

“My lass Kath came to the pub thinking I had won £1,400.

“But when I came through the door of the pub everyone just started clapping – it was a real ‘Del Boy’ moment.

“When I showed her the cheque she was shocked.

“We are going to pay off all our debts and our mortgage which will leave me with around £30,000.

“We are going to book a holiday somewhere nice and I am going to buy Kath a new hoover.”