Daughter’s blunder wins gambler £394,000

A lucky gambler won £394,487 thanks to an astonishing pair of flukes, including a mistake by his daughter.
Thomas Galligan won the Scoop6 jackpot by backing six consecutive winning horses last week - but only because his daughter, who put the bets on for him, selected the wrong horse in the last race.
The 53-year-old Galligan, who suffers from debilitating arthritis, had asked 22-year-old daughter Amber to go and put his £2 bet on in a Betfred shop in Newcastle.
When he watched Dandy Boy romp home in the final race at 33-1, Galligan knew Amber had mistakenly backed the winner for him. However he had no idea that he had won the jackpot - and it stayed that way for over a week.


The jammy punter believed that his first chosen horse Vocational had been beaten in the first race – but in fact it hadn't even made it to the starting line.
Under Scoop6 rules, bets on non-runners are automatically transferred to the favourite.
"I thought my first horse Vocational had got beat and then I watched as the next five won," he said.
"I knew there were 568 tickets going into the last race at Royal Ascot and only one on Dandy Boy, but I never realised I was the winner as I thought I was out in leg one.”
It was only when Amber returned to the shop the next Saturday to put on another bet that she discovered the huge win.
"I was at the counter when the assistant told me they'd been looking for me and I knew he wasn't joking as he was so deadly serious," said Amber.
“We live in a small two-bedroomed council flat and my dad has awful arthritis and sleeps on the sofa. He’s going to buy a bigger house with the winnings and take us all on holiday. It will change all our lives for the better.
“I was young when I last went on a holiday to a caravan. Dad’s decided he wants to take us all and his four grandchildren to Florida – it’s fantastic.”
Former builder’s labourer Thomas, who has four children and four grandchildren, added: "I've had years of pain and operations with arthritis in my legs and Amber and my son Michael pop down to the shop to place my Saturday bet.
“I’ve used up a lifetime’s good luck in one go. It’s great news during these difficult times. We’ve been struggling like lots of other people.
“I’ve won over £100 a few times before but nothing anywhere near this. It is so good to be able to treat the children and grandchildren. I am so happy for the kids.”
The winning selections:
2:25 Ayr - Angels Will Fall 7/2 F
2:40 Newmarket - Trojan Rocket 3/1 F
3:05 Ascot - Sea Moon 3/1 F
3:10 Newmarket - Punita 5/2 F
3:30 Ayr - Reem Star 11/2
4:25 Ascot - Dandy Boy 33/1


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