Kiwi Turns $2 Melbourne Cup Bet Into $353,000 Payday
Trainer Calvin McEvoy and jockey Jamie Melham celebrate after Half Yours won the Melbourne Cup. Photo: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake / AP
A New Zealander’s casual Melbourne Cup punt has turned into a life-changing windfall after a $2 bet returned $353,121, thanks to one of the most unlikely predictions in racing history.
The Kiwi, who only bets once a year on the Cup, correctly picked the first four finishers in exact order — Half Yours, Goodie Two Shoes, Middle Earth, and River of Stars — in Tuesday’s 24-horse race.
Because the ticket was a straight First4 bet rather than a boxed one, it paid double the $176,561 dividend, delivering an extraordinary return from a tiny investment.
“This is a classic Melbourne Cup fan who has a flutter once a year,” said Entain New Zealand managing director Sam Moncur. “They’ve quite brilliantly put the first four horses in exact order on their First4 ticket.”
Record Wagering and Rising Kiwi Interest
New Zealanders once again proved their obsession with the race that stops Australia, with turnover hitting $13.6 million, eclipsing last year’s record of $13.4 million.
Nearly 150,000 Kiwis placed bets through TAB and Betcha platforms — around 20,000 more than in 2023.
“The Melbourne Cup continues to have that allure year after year,” Moncur said. “Some TAB punters were astute — or lucky — enough to get a slice of the $176,561 First4.”
Big Wins Across the Board
The winning Kiwi wasn’t the only one celebrating. A $5 percentage First4 returned $54,729, a $12 ticket netted $88,269, and another $6 bet brought home $44,134.
Two smaller $1 bets also scored more than $10,000 each, highlighting the huge potential of small stakes in the unpredictable Cup.
“That’s the beauty of such a big field in the great race,” Moncur said.
Heartbreak for Near Misses
But not everyone’s Cup day ended with champagne. One punter narrowly missed a $730,000 payout after the horse Buckaroo — needed to finish in the top three to complete a 12-leg multi — was pulled up in the final 300 metres.
A vet examination found Buckaroo had suffered an exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage, but he is expected to make a full recovery.