Nine years ago British tennis fan Nick Newlife wagered £1,520 (that’s pounds) at 66-1 odds that then 21-year-old Roger Federer, who had just won his first Wimbledon title, would win at least seven Wimbledon titles by 2019.
Newlife died in 2009 at the age of 69. He left the betting slip to Oxfam, a global confederation of organizations devoted to eradicating poverty and responding to famine.
Sunday, after Federer beat Andy Murray in four sets (ending Murray’s bid to become the first British man in 76 years to win at the All England Club) to take his seventh Wimbledon title, Oxfam cashed in the betting slip and added £101,840 to its coffers.
That is $157,749.85 in American dollars.
The late Nick Newlife’s faith in Roger Federer resulted in a handsome donation to Oxfam.
Gavin Cowan, a one-time neighbor of Newlife, told the Daily Mail that Newlife placed a series of long-term bets, intending to give the proceeds to charity.
Yesterday’s victory was Federer’s 17th career Grand Slam singles title. No one else has won more than 14. The win also put Federer atop the world rankings for a record-tying 286 weeks. He’ll break that tie with Pete Sampras next week.
Unwitting philanthropist Roger Federer won a record-tying seventh Wimbledon singles title yesterday. (Photo by REUTERS/Toby Melville)
About Josh Tinley
Incredible win by Federer. That was really an awesome match.Murray tried his best.But at last the champ shows his power.