The Auckland-based man did it by predicting the correct finishing order of all 12 horses in the $A20 million ($NZ21.3m) Everest horse race at Randwick in Sydney on Saturday in a free competition which was open to New Zealand TAB account holders.
In doing so, the punter’s one shot at getting the correct order defied odds of 1 in 479,001,600 of being right.
The Everest Mega Millions was a promotion to raise interest in the Everest and the first ever New Zealand representative - I Wish I Win - who ran in the slot purchased for the race by the TAB and its new partner Entain.
Ironically, I Wish I Win was a slightly luckless second and had he got up to win for New Zealand, the punter who now finds himself $10 million richer wouldn’t have won a cent.
While the TAB makes its money off percentages of money punters bet, the $10 million competition was free to all TAB account holders but limited to one entry per person.
While the first three horses home in the Everest were the first three favourites and therefore having them selected in those slots wasn’t a shock, predicting the exact finishing spot of every horse sounded so far fetched many TAB account holders wouldn’t have even attempt it.
While the punter was the only winner and will get the entire $10 million, it won’t cost the TAB/Entain that amount as they had taken insurance against it happening, as is standard industry practice.
While the $10 million miracle win was a promotional competition and not a straight bet, it will still be one of the richest wins anywhere in the world in horse racing history.
The punter, who did not want to be named, says there was no great analysis or thought that went into one of racing’s greatest ever wins.
“I saw the promotion on the TAB site and thought I’d give it a crack,” he said.
“I didn’t put too much thought into my picks and just dropped the runners where I thought it could go.
“I honestly could not believe I’d won it. I actually thought it was a hoax when they first rang me – I called the TAB back, and it took quite a lot of convincing before it sank in.
“To have pulled it off, winning $10 million in a free to play competition, is truly incredible for my family and I.”
Managing director of Entain New Zealand (operator of the TAB), Cameron Rodger, says his team is thrilled for the winner.
“It was great to see so many Kiwis getting involved in The Everest through our Mega Millions promotion, and to have someone take home the $10 million prize is an amazing result,” says Rodger
“The Everest is the world’s richest race on turf and this customer has managed to take home more than the winner’s purse by pulling off one of the most impressive selecting feats we have ever seen.
“The race had over 400 million possible finish results, and he managed to nail the exact one needed. We’re thrilled with the customer engagement this innovative competition was able to generate and a huge congratulations to our winner.”
Kiwi punters certainly rallied behind I Wish I Win, and TAB/Entain was delighted with customer engagement in the race and across the whole Randwick card.
Turnover on The Everest was more than double last year, generating a total of $1.85 million, whilst the number of customers engaged on the race was also double that of last year.
The campaign put behind the race saw it skyrocket up our highest turnover thoroughbred race list, going from 10th all the way to second, sitting only behind the Melbourne Cup.
Turnover on the entire meeting at Randwick also saw a massive increase, up more than 57 percent on last year, to $4.4 million.
