From Horse Race Bettor to Race Horse Owner

Admin. - May 18, 2013

Sports

A lucky lad from Ireland bets on five separate horse races - and wins big.

In horse racing, you have your long shots and you have your very long shots. But as this story tells, you've always got a shot. Case in point:

Just about a year ago Conor Murphy of Ireland spent his days shoveling manure in a stable in England. Then - on what he described as "a hunch" - he bet $75 on five of his favorite horses - horses that he had trained and knew well.

The odds at the time of his bet were long, real long: about 163,350 to 1, according to a spokesman for Paddy Power, an Irish bookmaking firm. This was considerably longer than the 5-1 odds listed at Bet365 with eventual winner Orb, at this year's running of the Kentucky Derby.

But still, knowing a horse and betting on it to win - in five separate races - is almost akin to winning the Triple Crown. For those of you may not know what the Triple Crown is (and what are the odds on that?) it consists of three - separate - races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. The three races are the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont.

Murphy's was the kind of a bet that most would describe as desperate - some might describe it as a bet that only a man who loves and knows horses would make.

But second guessing motive is now moot as he won - big. His $75 bet paid more than $1.5 million, enough for him to put down the shovel and become his own boss.

Now Mr. Murphy lives in Kentucky, training horses for some of the most prominent figures in racing.

"Pure luck," Mr. Murphy modestly said when asked about his life-changing wager.

But with horse racing, it always pays to have a little extra bit of info. So why not check out Bet365 and perhaps cash in on some of their insider knowledge.