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David ThrelfallAn Englishman who bet £10 in 1964
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of David Trelfall
David Trelfall, an Englishman, placed a bet of 10 pounds sterling in 1964 that within the decade, a man would take his first step on the moon. Five years later, in the summer of 1969, Neil Armstrong made this historic step in human history, and it earned David 10,000 pounds sterling.
A Unique Bet
During the 20th century, bookmakers were not only accepting bets on sporting events but also on even the most absurd events, from the number of rainy days to events in the distant future. The odds for such unconventional events were much higher than those used in football and other sports. In the early 1960s, the English bookmaker 'William Hill' offered bets on the successful moon landing and the first step within that decade. Many considered such an outcome impossible at that time, as scientists were still struggling with rocket engines and fuel supply in space. However, Yuri Gagarin's flight in 1961 marked the beginning of the global space race and convinced many that humans were on the verge of conquering the moon. Among these "lunatics" was David Trelfall, an ordinary London office worker with no blue blood in his family tree or a substantial fortune in the bank. His bet was not a significant amount - only 10 pounds, which was roughly equivalent to 1.5 weeks of work at that time. Interestingly, David made one of the highest bets on the event in 1964, when almost half of the designated period had already passed. At that time, 'William Hill' accepted bets at odds of 1:1000.
A Remarkable Win
As history tells us, David Trelfall won his bet and received his honest 10,000 pounds the day after the "giant leap for mankind." The owners of 'William Hill' admitted that they were rare pessimists in those days, as they were gloomy amid the general jubilation. The company suffered significant losses, partly due to the high odds, even considering the seemingly impossible nature of the outcome. Nevertheless, to save face, 'William Hill' paid out all the winnings, despite doubts about the authenticity of the American moon landing.
Controversial Claims
A few weeks after the flight, bookmakers announced a new dispute: whether the US government acknowledged that the moon landing was a hoax. The odds for such an outcome were 1:500. At the same time, bookmakers confessed that in the event of a faked landing, they would not force the first lucky winners, who had received their fortunes after Armstrong's landing, to return their winnings.
A Tragic Fate
With 10,000 pounds in his pocket, Trelfall briefly became a star in London newspapers, which declared him the luckiest "lunatic" in the world. David spent the majority of his winnings on a sports car, admitting that hoarding the money was a bad omen. Unfortunately, even investing in a car couldn't protect him from the unfortunate consequences that many later called fate. Just a few months after his stroke of luck, David was involved in a serious accident while driving his sports supercar, which ultimately led to his death. David Trelfall entered history as the most successful gambler in bookmakers, but once again confirmed the eternal wisdom of humanity: big money cannot make life better.
