Brit wins 3 mill on the pools
News on 11 Oct 2010
News on 11 Oct 2010
Britain’s first ever GBP 3 million individual football Pools winner has been revealed by The Football Pools. In the 87-year history of the Pools, it is the largest pay-out to an individual winner.
Michael Elliott (56) from Scotland, wrote himself into the history books by spending just a couple of pounds and was presented with a cheque for GBP 3,001,511 by Michelle Robbins, head of marketing communications, this weekend.
The lucky winner said: “I cannot believe it, it is a dream come true. To say this is a life-changing experience would be the understatement of the year. I have played the Pools for many years and have won three times before, although my biggest previous win was GBP 32. We are still in a state of shock and it’s going to take a little time before everything finally sinks in.”
Elliott spent over 20 years serving in the UK Armed Forces, including spells in Northern Ireland and the Gulf. He moved to Scotland in 1994 and has a partner, Kirsty (34). A keen golfer and fisherman, he plans to spend some of his winnings on a bigger boat to go fishing in the Scottish lochs.
To win the Classic Pools game, players have to correctly predict eight games from 10, 11 or 12 selections that they think will end in score draws. GBP 3 million can be won when the eight games selected are also high score draws (2-2 or higher). Elliott chose 10 selections spanning the Scottish, English and Spanish leagues, and eight came up as 2-2 draws. His record pay-out was sealed in Clitheroe’s 2-2 draw with Fylde in the Evo Stik Premier League.
Jon Sheehy, a director of The Football Pools, said: “This is truly an historic moment for The Football Pools in Britain. 2010 is turning out to be a bumper year, having already created millionaires north and south of the border. Our players have enjoyed some huge payouts since we merged Littlewoods and Vernons in 2007 and opened up new channels of play. We are seeing an ever-increasing number of sports bettors playing our games, as they offer such fantastic value.”
The first ever Pools double millionaire was Rodi Woodcock of South London who won GBP 2 million in 1991. Nursing sister Margaret Francis and 10 of her colleagues from Devizes became the first Pools ‘millionaires’ in 1986, sharing a GBP 1,017,890 pay-out.
