Top 6 Biggest Accumulator Wins in the UK: The Stories Worth Sharing

If you’ve never spent hours agonizing over your acca bet just to see it come crashing down in the final minutes of the last game, then you can’t call yourself a true punter. We’ve all been there at some point or another, and it really is one of the worst feelings in the world, especially when you know that had one more team held on for a draw or win, you’d have won big time.

Before you sink into depression, remember those lucky folk who managed to win their accumulators against all the odds. In this article, we’ll take you through the six biggest accumulator wins of all time.

1. £1.45 million – £2 at odds of 725,000/1

We’ll start in the south of England, where Steve Whitely, a heating engineer from North Tawton in Devon, placed a £2 accumulator on a horse racing event. The total odds of his bet were an astonishing 725,000 to one! All in all, he managed to walk away with a jaw-dropping £1.45 million in winnings.

The winning gallopers at the meeting at Exeter racecourse were Semi Colon (2-1), Black Phantom (12-1), Ammunition (16-1), Mr. Bennett (16-1), Lundy Sky (5-1), and finally, Lupita (12-1). The chestnut mare had not won in its last 26 races, and this was Jessica Lodge’s first ever win as a jockey. As risky as it was, Steve Whitely etched his name in the history books for recording one of the most exciting horse racing accumulator wins ever.

2. £1 million – 50 pence at odds of 2,000,000/1

Here’s a remarkable story of a humble farming salesman who won £1 million on the eve of his 60th birthday. Fred Craggs from Yorkshire placed a 50p each-way accumulator bet at his local William Hill shop. The total odds of the bet were an astounding 2,000,000 to one, and Fred Craggs became an overnight millionaire.

The first stallion in the Craggs’ eight selections winning streak was a horse called ‘Isn’t That Lucky.’ And wouldn’t you believe it, the final leg was named ‘A Dream Come True.’ For this super punter, dreams really did come true! We can only imagine how Mr. Craggs, who scored one of the biggest accumulator wins of all time, celebrates his birthday now.

As you can see, anything is possible when it comes to accumulator wins! These stories are proof that with a little bit of luck, anyone can become a winner. So if you’re feeling lucky, why not give it a try with a small, responsible acca bet that might just pay off? You could become the next Fred Craggs!

3. £650,000 – £100 at odds of 6,542/1

Now it’s time to move away from the biggest ever horse racing accumulator wins and focus instead on the beautiful game. An anonymous punter from London managed to win a whopping £650,000 from just a £100 bet back in 2014. This is the perfect example of an accumulator bet working out exactly as you’d hope.

This successful football accumulator was made up of eight selections, with the overall odds sitting at a very juicy 6,542/1! The masterstroke was placed just 20 minutes before the end of one match, and the turning point of the game was Jim O’Brien’s 91st-minute equaliser for Coventry City.

4. £585,000 – 80 pence at odds of 683,738/1

Speaking of the biggest football accumulator wins ever, we have to mention the story of a Maltese guy who had a strict philosophy of never betting more than €1 at a time – roughly 80p in GBP. In 2011, he placed a 19-leg wager that included a number of low-key games in some far-flung places like Nicaragua, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

By rights he should never have won, but as luck would have it, all 19 teams came up trumps and he walked away with a life-changing sum of £585,000. How? The last game was the one between Chelsea and Liverpool, and he decided to back the Reds, who were underdogs. When Glen Johnson scored the winning goal in the 87th minute, the William Hill sportsbook was required to make its biggest ever payout.

5. £500,000 – 30 pence at odds of 1,600,000/1

Recounting the history of football accumulator wins wouldn’t be possible without one determined punter and his enormous £500K winnings in the 2000/01 season. Odds of 1.6m/1 might seem like a pipe dream, but this guy managed to land this massive sum by betting on nine football tournaments: five of those were in England, three in Scotland, and then there was the European Champions League, along with English county cricket and rugby union.

When the unnamed Manchester United supporter had placed his 30p each-way accumulator, little did he know that all 15 of his selections would come good, with the final penalty shootout between Bayern Munich and Valencia sealing the £500K deal. That’s what we call a nail-biting finish!

6. £272,000 – £2.50 at odds of 108,800/1

Yet another of the biggest accumulator wins happened at the start of the 2011 Champions League. This lucky punter placed a nine-selection betting slip that included a number of Champions League and Europa League matches. The most considerable risk was backing the underdog Athletic Bilbao against Barcelona, the then-best team in the world, in a match in the Copa Del Rey.

All in all, the odds were 108,800 to one, but most importantly, all nine picks turned out to be correct. The mystery man’s football betting wager dream came true when Fernando Llorente scored an equaliser in the 85th minute. The total sum won was an impressive £272,000. Needless to say, it’s hard to imagine that the big bosses at Ladbrokes were thrilled with the result.

FAQ

What is the biggest bet ever won?

Given the opaque nature of high-roller gambling, it’s likely that we’ll never truly know about the biggest bets ever won. However, given that this article is about accumulator bets in the UK, we can tell you that Steve Whitely holds that honour. You can read about him directly below.

What is the biggest win in horse racing?

Two of the biggest accumulator wins ever were placed on horse races in England. Steve Whitley from Devon placed a £2 accumulator and won an incredible £1.45 million. And then there was Fred Craggs from Yorkshire, who placed a 50p each-way accumulator at his local William Hill shop. The total odds of the bet were an astounding 2,000,000 to one, and Mr. Craggs picked up £1 million in winnings.

How do you win big on football accumulators?

The key to winning big on football accumulators is finding good value bets. This means looking for bets where you think the odds are higher than they should be. For example, if you think a team has a 60% chance of winning, but the bookies are offering odds of 2/1, then this is a good value bet.

You might also consider throwing in a few roughies. After all, the higher the odds, the higher your potential winnings will be. Finally, don’t be afraid to take a risk! All the biggest acca wins come from risky bets. So if you’re feeling lucky and are in control of your gambling, go for it!

How do you bet without losing?

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to bet without losing. However, there are a few things you can do to minimise your risk. First, you should always do your research before placing a bet. This means looking at the team’s recent performances and checking for injuries or any other factors that could affect the outcome of the game.

Second, don’t be afraid to shop around for the best odds. Different bookies will offer different odds on the same bet, so it pays to shop around in a quest for the biggest accumulator wins. Finally, never bet more than you can afford to lose. This might seem like common sense, but it’s important to remember that gambling is a risk, and there’s always a considerable chance that you’ll lose your money.