Leicester City fan cashes out $137k after backing club to win the Premier League

An anonymous gambler has pocketed $137,000 after cashing in on a $95 bet he wagered at the start of the season ... but just hours later he could have won so much more.

Leicester City's English defender Danny Simpson (L), Leicester City's Welsh midfielder Andy King (C) and Leicester City's English striker Jamie Vardy appluad the fans following the English Premier League football match between Watford and Leicester City at Vicarage Road Stadium in Watford, north of London on March 5, 2016. Leicester won the match 1-0. / AFP / OLLY GREENWOOD / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /

AN anonymous gambler has pocketed 72,000 pounds ($A137,000) after cashing in on a 50 pounds ($A95) bet he wagered at the start of the season on Leicester City winning the Premier League at odds of 5,000-1.

The Leicester fan decided to take the offer from a British bookmaker before the league leaders won 1-0 at Watford on Saturday. If he had held on until the end of the match the offer would have risen to 91,000 pounds ($A173,000).

If Leicester do go on to win the title the bet would have been worth 250,000 pounds ($A477,000).

“I’m ecstatic. I read the papers on Saturday morning and thought it’s time to cash out,” the anonymous fan was quoted as saying on the Ladbrokes website on Monday.

“Win or lose the league I’m looking forward to the rest of the season ahead. It will mean so much if we win so there’s no point in being greedy.

“A holiday to Spain is a certainty followed by paying off the mortgage with the winnings.” Leicester, who are five points clear of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur with nine matches to play, are chasing their first-ever top-flight title.

City’s next game is at home to second-bottom Newcastle United next Monday.

Ladbrokes now rate Leicester at 5-4 to finish the season as champions.

Originally published as Leicester City fan cashes out $137k after backing club to win the Premier League