A GRAND National punter secured an absolutely massive payout after their miraculous 1-2-3 bet came in.
Bookies were running for cover after well-backed joint-favourite I Am Maximus won the world’s most famous race at Aintree.
This photo of a bet posted online appeared to show one lucky punter bagging a giant five-figure Grand National payout from their £5 bet
But despite winning by seven lengths, it didn’t look like being a certainty until he kicked into overdrive approaching the post.
Rachael Blackmore’s Minella Indo was leading at the elbow with Jack Kennedy still in the hunt on the Gordon Elliott-trained Delta Work.
While many people’s bets will have gone down the drain after defending champ Corach Rambler unseated at the first following a controversial start, this punter was staring at a dream outcome.
And it became reality when Paul Townend hit go on the Willie Mullins-trained I Am Maximus.
He flew home to win the £500,000 first-place prize for owner JP McManus.
But just as important for this bet was who finished second and third.
With 11-year-old Minella Indo’s legs tiring, he was overtaken by Delta Work.
The latter finished second and Indo clung on for third under Blackmore – who helped raise £250,000 for charity with her ride.
This punter didn’t quite win that much but still bagged more than £25,000 from a fiver after incredibly predicting the first three home.
A photo of the settled bet posted online showed the payout reaching a colossal £26,147.60 in all.
That was only slightly less than what heroic amateur jockey David Maxwell got for finishing sixth on Ain’t That A Shame.
It was a better result for other bookies, though, with Paddy Power’s Paul Binfield reporting Corach Rambler’s unfortunate unseat saved them a seven-figure sum.
He said: “Corach Rambler becoming the last first fence tumble by the previous year’s winner since Hallo Dandy in 1985 saved us over £5million.
“Despite the winner being backed early doors and going off joint favourite, he became a better result as the day went on with a good spread of cash.
“The bookies have enjoyed a decent result.”
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