A sixty-something Merewent pensioner won the Hollywoodbets Punters Challenge bonus jackpot of R1 275 000 with eight straight winners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Wednesday.
Oblivious to the fact that the red-hot Sean Veale had just driven his lifechanging selection Diamond Girl to a heart-stopping short-head victory in the final race of the day to win the massively popular free-to-enter competition, ‘Blaikie’ had stepped off the bus when he took the Sporting Post’s call.
“I haven’t watched any racing today. What happened?” asked the overwhelmed Hollywoodbets Bluff customer, who said that he had never won a brass farthing in a lifetime of playing and loving horseracing.
“You are joking? Please don’t, I think I am going to fall over right now,” he laughed as he seemed unclear of what amount he had won.
The KZN racing Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge jackpot increases by R25 000 per racemeeting and also offers a R10 000 must-be-won prize which is allocated to the top 20 on the day’s leaderboard.
“You have no idea how this has changed my life. My dear wife passed seven years ago. I can go and spend some money on improving her grave. Are you sure it’s no joke?” he asked again.
Blaikie says the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge is appealing as it’s exciting and costs him not a cent.
“I am always trying my luck. This is massive in my life. I have no hair – so can get a head of hair. A new car. Maybe even a new this and that. I am almost speechless,” he enthused while we explained that he had Sean Veale and the soon-to-retire Dennis Drier to thank for putting the cherry on the top of a memorable afternoon.
