Gambler's bet beyond the grave
A gambler who bet that Roger Federer would win the Wimbledon title seven times could cash in from beyond the grave
A gambler who bet that tennis star Roger Federer would win the Wimbledon title seven times could receive more than £100,000 from beyond the grave.
Nick Newlife staked a bet of £1,520 on the Swiss ace to clinch seven Wimbledon singles' titles at odds of 66/1 back in 2003.
The punter, from Oxford, died in February 2009 at the age of 59, denying him the chance of seeing his long-range wager come to fruition.
But bachelor Mr Newlife made arrangements in the event of his death by stating in his will that any proceeds from the outstanding bet should go to Oxfam.
The charity stands to receive £101,840 if 29-year-old Federer clinches his seventh Wimbledon singles win, William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said.
The bet states that Federer must win a seventh title by 2019.
Mr Sharpe said: "Federer has returned to top form in recent tournaments, losing only to Rafael Nadal in last week's French Open and he is a leading contender for this year's tournament.
"Nadal is 2/1 favourite, but Federer is 5/2 second favourite and he could yet prove a literal dead cert for Mr Newlife and Oxfam."
Stuart Fowkes, from Oxfam, said: "Legacies amount to 10% of our total income from individuals, so they're essential to us, and as this case proves they can come in all shapes and sizes."
Press Association
