There are a lot of people who had a good time during the Kentucky Derby, but it’s hard to believe anyone had a better weekend than the woman in Austin, Texas, who won $1.2 million off an $18 million bet.
According to ESPN, the remarkable payout came on a Pick 5 bet in which the woman had to pick the winners of five consecutive races. She successfully did so on Races 8-12 at Churchill Downs, including Justify’s victory at the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby to wrap up the perfect run.
Here’s the full run of winning picks: Limousine Liberal (4-1) in Race 8, Maraud (8-1) in Race 9, Funny Duck (40-1) in Race 10, and Yoshida (10-1) in Race 11. Justify entered the Derby as the favorite with 3-1 odds, although that came two races after the bettor won a massive long shot in Funny Duck.
The wager was placed at Retama Park in Selma, Texas, which is over 1,000 miles away from where the races went down. “To bet that little amount of money and win $1.2 million is unheard of. In fact, it’s the first time it’s happened at Retama,” track spokesperson Rachel Bagnetto told ABC News.
The bettor was not identified but took a photo with the track’s general manager.
The owners of Derby-winning Justify took home $1.432 million in purse money for the win, so the bettor was almost as much of a winner. When you consider how little money she put in – less than $20! – it’s fair to say nobody had a better Saturday.
