A teacher is paying for his wedding after landing a whopping £10,000 football bet - from just a £5 stake. And it's all thanks to Bristol Rovers' man of the moment: Jonson Clarke-Harris.
Craig Barlow bet on ten teams scoring in the first half of five matches in England on Saturday March 30.
The 30-year-old husband-to-be used his own ‘formula’ of betting on teams involved in the promotion or relegation battle of League 1 and 2.
He was on the edge of his seat when nine of the teams scored by the 38th minute, leaving just Bristol Rovers left to grab a goal.
However, just seconds before the half-time whistle, they netted to secure the huge payout for regular shop punter Craig.
He will now be ‘dancing down the aisle’ with his fiancee Harriet Gingell - a dance teacher - when they get married next year.
Craig, a science teacher at South Shore Academy in Blackpool, said: “I was relaxing at home and the games were all going my way, especially when Lincoln scored making it 1-1 on 38 minutes against Macclesfield.
“I was worried about the Bristol Rovers game as they were losing 2-0 at home to Luton, then they scored in the second minute of first half added time.”
Craig correctly predicted all ten teams involved in the matches between Barnsley and Coventry, Bristol Rovers and Luton, Bury and Swindon, Exeter and Mansfield together with the Lincoln and Macclesfield game would score in the first half.
The goal by Jonson Clarke-Harris at the Memorial Stadium in Bristol - 188 miles away from Craig’s hometown in Walton-le-Dale, Lancs, - meant Craig was in the money and prompted him to brew himself a celebratory cup of tea.
He added: “At this stage of the season you do seem to get a lot of goals particularly between teams looking to avoid relegation or achieve promotion against sides who are mid-table with little to play for.
“That proved to be the correct formula and the cost of the wedding will be covered.”
Harriet, who teaches at the Sparkle Dance Studio in Preston, and Craig have already booked their wedding reception for 100 guests at the Laurels in Chorley - complete with country rock band The Wrecks.
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Craig, who was given a surprise bottle of champagne courtesy of Betfred boss Fred Done, added: “ I might have celebrated with a cup of tea at the time but we had a few drinks that night, especially as Harriet had had a stressful day at work.
“Now we’re dancing for joy with the bill for the wedding sorted.”
Fred added: “I’m chuffed to bits for this happy couple who will now have the day of their lives thanks to a bet.
“If Craig carries on using this scientific formula I will end up paying for a posh honeymoon.”
