Nicholas Newlife has been dead for three years, but he’s just given anti-poverty charity Oxfam a sizable boost - thanks to a bet he made years ago on tennis star Roger Federer.
Newlife, of Oxfordshire, England, bet £1,520 ($2,350) at 66-1 odds that Federer would win seven Wimbledon men’s singles before 2020.
That bet became a winner on Sunday, when Federer beat Andy Murray in four sets to claim his seventh Wimbledon title.
But Newlife, of Oxfordshire, England, died in February 2009 at age 59. So instead of going to him, the £101,840 ($155,000) winnings will go to Oxfam, to which he had left his entire estate, the charity said this week.
Oxfam says the cash will let it feed 10,000 people in West Africa, parts of which are suffering a food crisis, for a month.
“All of Oxfam have been cheering Federer’s progress for the past couple of weeks. The real hero, though, must be Mr. Newlife, for his generous gift and his tremendous sporting acumen,” Andrew Barton, Oxfam’s head of relationship marketing, said in a news release. “Every time someone leaves us a gift, it helps us make a huge difference to thousands of lives around the world – whether it’s a few pounds or thousands of pounds.”
This is the second bet on Federer that Newlife won. He - and therefore Oxfam - won £16,750 ($25,900) when Federer won his 14th Grand Slam title a few years ago. Newlife had wagered £250 ($387) at 66-1 odds that the tennis star would do so, according to the charity.
Newlife’s wagers were part of a series of bets with bookmakers William Hill that he made between 2000 and 2005 on the future successes of Federer, American tennis star Andy Roddick and West Indies cricket player Ramnesh Sarwan, according to Oxfam.
Here are Newlife’s bets that still are outstanding, according to Oxfam:
- £1,000 on Roddick to win at least seven Grand Slam titles before 2020, at 33-1 odds (Roddick, 29, has one Grand Slam title)
- £750 on Roddick to win at least 10 Grand Slam titles before 2020, at 100-1.
- £350 on Sarwan to make more than 7,000 runs in test matches by the end of 2019, at 50-1 (Sarwan, 32, has 5,842 runs)
- £300 on Sarwan to make more than 8,000 runs in test matches by the end of 2019, at 100-1
- £250 on Sarwan to make more than 9,000 runs in test matches by the end of 2019, at 250-1
It kinda looks like Nicholas Newlife gave true meaning to his last name before he past on.
10,000 people could still have been fed without the gambling. But this nice to see rather than greed getting in the way.
Killjoy.
Howdy, Jeff.
As he left his entire estate to Oxfam when he passed, chances are that Mr. Newlife fed many, many people, regardless...actually, it's been win/win all around for Oxfam anyway!
Howdy, banasy,
I haven't watched tennis in decades, but with Newlifes multiple bets, this guy must have some game!
Howdy, Mary:
I catch it now and then; the hubs watches everything sports related, lol.
I've seen him play; he is good!
(Not Jimmy Connors, though... 😉 )
Best thing about it: the charity wins!
Hi banasy and Jeff, Jeff I left you a note on the Turtle hatchlings thread under post.
Nice gesture from a man who cared for others.
True for the charity, just wish money could turn into a lifetime of educational food.
Jimmy Connors had the Boyish good looks ... I still can see his smile 😉 Wooo Hooo !
Gn banasy
Good night Mary, banasy and jeff!