Fan sweating on £58,000 cup bet

A sports-loving postman stands to win £58,000 from a double bet of £25 on Wales doing the Grand Slam and Cardiff City winning the FA Cup.

But if City fail to deliver against Portsmouth at Wembley, Michael Price, from Carmarthen, will win nothing.

And Mr Price, 30, will not even see the game because he is graduating in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon.

He said: "I just felt it was the year for Welsh sport because all the Welsh teams have done really well."

Mr Price added: "Now the final is here, I think Cardiff have got a great chance.

"I don't usually bet, only the odd pound here and there.

"This is the first bet I've done on this scale and £25 isn't that much really."

Mr Price, a Cardiff City fan who says he loves Welsh sport, had seriously considered betting £100 which could have landed him £232,000.

But not being a big gambler, he thought twice about paying a £100 stake for what seemed like an outrageous bet.

"I was going to bet £100 but when I typed it into the computer, it came out at £232,000," he said.

Too nervous

"It was just the fact that it was £100 and it seemed too much of a long shot so I lowered the bet."

Although he will be at his graduation ceremony for his science degree, and will miss the game, he is expecting friends to keep him informed of the score by text.

"If it goes to extra time, that's the only chance I'll have of watching it," he said.

"I think I'll have my phone on silent and plenty of people will be texting me.

"I would be too nervous watching it anyway."

Totesport spokesperson Paul Petrie said he would be happy to pay out on such an ambitious bet.

"This is one of the most amazing bets we have seen and, as the prices suggest, we didn't give either team much chance," he said.

"However, we have to take our hats off to Michael for spotting the value and wish him all the best on Saturday."

And Mr Price admits he has thought about what he would spend the money on should City triumph.

"I think it will be spent on my 18-month old daughter," he said.

"I'll maybe invest something for the future for her."