Potential £125,000 payout to shrewd F1 punter.
31 October 2008
A Formula One fan who backed Lewis Hamilton to win the World Championship when he was just 13 years old is revving up to pocket £125,000.
Hamilton, 23, needs to finish no lower than fifth to capture his first Drivers' title at Sunday's Brazil Grand Prix after narrowly missing out on it in the final race of last season.
One man who hopes it will be second time lucky is a middle-aged Ladbrokes customer from Cambridgeshire, who put his money where his mouth is over a decade ago.
The Peterborough punter, who has declined to be named, scooped £40,000 last season when he collected on a £200 wager on him winning his first Grand Prix by the age of 23, at odds of 200/1.
And he will add another £125,000 to the pot after betting £100 at 500/1 on him winning the World Championship by the age of 25 and a further £50 on the double at odds of 1,500/1.
The customer, whose son used to race Karts against Hamilton, said: "I've known Lewis from his early days and it was easy to see he had an obvious driving ability, coupled with a fantastic attitude to racing.
"I just had a hunch he would go on to bigger and better things and when Ladbrokes came back with an irresistible offer it was too good to pass up.
"I told Lewis' father Anthony and he was shocked and chuffed that he was not the only one to have confidence in Lewis.
"I'm obviously excited about the prospect of winning the money but I'm more excited about what it will mean to the Hamilton family and British motor racing."
Hamilton is 1/7 to win the Drivers' Championship and 7/4 to win the race at Brazil's Interlagos circuit.
Ladbrokes are also offering 7/4 that he leads the race after lap one and 12/1 that he starts from pole position, sets the fastest lap time and wins the race.
Spokesman Robin Hutchison said: "It will be a bitter-sweet moment for British bookies if Hamilton wins but we'll be delighted for this customer who put his faith in him so long ago.
"We got out of jail last year when he was pipped at the post but we've got a nasty feeling we're not going to be so lucky this time round.
"This will be the largest single payout we've ever made on a Formula One bet."
The punter is hoping to buy a Tag Heuer watch with his winnings and have the back engraved with Hamilton's signature.
He has also pledged to take his family on holiday to Cuba, where his wife wants to swim with dolphins, and buy her a Mercedes SLK.
Hamilton is now just 5/4 to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
HAMILTON WAGERS
£200 at 200/1 on Hamilton to win a Formula One race before his 23rd birthday
£100 at 500/1 that Hamilton wins the Formula One World Championship before his 25th birthday
£50 at odds of 1,500/1 for the double
Placed on 13th May 1998. Total stake £350, total win £165,000
LATEST BETTING
Lewis Hamilton Brazilian Grand Prix Specials
Finishing Position in the Race
7/4 First
3/1 Second
4/1 Third
7/2 Any Other
12/1 To start from pole position, win the race and set the fastest lap in the race
4/1 Not to finish the race
16/1 Not to finish the race and WIN the Drivers' Championship
6/1 Not to finish the race and LOSE the Drivers' Championship
40/1 To start the race from the pit lane
Will Lewis Hamilton be leading at the end of lap one?
7/4 Yes
2/5 No
Will Lewis Hamilton be leading at the end of lap 35?
6/5 Yes
8/13 No
5/1 To retire from the race due to contact with another car
5/1 To finish 3rd in the race behind the two Ferraris
5/1 To be given any sort of penalty by the stewards during the race
33/1 To be black flagged during the race
16/1 Hamilton and Alonso to collide forcing either or both to retire from the race
25/1 Hamilton and Massa to collide forcing either or both to retire from the race
16/1 To set the fastest lap time in ALL 3 practice sessions and qualifying
Will Lewis Hamilton qualify on the front row of the grid?
1/3 Yes
9/4 No
10/11 To qualify ahead of Massa
10/11 To qualify behind Massa
5/1 To qualify behind Kovalainen
5/1 To qualify on the same row as Alonso
Brazilian Grand Prix
Race Winner
6/4 Felipe Massa
7/4 Lewis Hamilton
3/1 Kimi Raikkonen
12/1 Fernando Alonso
20/1 Heikki Kovalainen
25/1 Robert Kubica
50/1 bar
Fastest official qualifying time
6/4 Felipe Massa
6/4 Lewis Hamilton
4/1 Kimi Raikkonen
14/1 Fernando Alonso
16/1 Heikki Kovalainen
20/1 Robert Kubica
50/1 bar
Fastest Lap in race
11/10 Kimi Raikkonen
2/1 Felipe Massa
11/4 Lewis Hamilton
16/1 Heikki Kovalainen
20/1 Fernando Alonso
20/1 Robert Kubica
33/1 Nick Heidfeld
66/1 bar
Podium Finish
4/11 Felipe Massa
4/11 Lewis Hamilton
8/13 Kimi Raikkonen
7/4 Fernando Alonso
3/1 Heikki Kovalainen
4/1 Robert Kubica
8/1 Nick Heidfeld
8/1 Sebastian Vettel
16/1 bar
Points Finish
2/9 Felipe Massa
2/9 Lewis Hamilton
2/7 Kimi Raikkonen
2/7 Robert Kubica
1/3 Fernando Alonso
2/5 Heikki Kovalainen
8/15 Nick Heidfeld
8/11 Sebastian Vettel
10/11 Jarno Trulli
6/5 bar
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