Legacy bet will win Oxfam £100,000 if Federer wins Wimbledon

Fundraising | Niki May Young | 23 Jun 2010

Roger Federer will be playing for more than he expects at Wimbledon this year following a donation from the grave to Oxfam, if the world champion wins the men’s singles tournament.

Nicholas Newlife from Kidlington, Oxfordshire left his estate to the charity when he died aged 69 in February last year and within the legacy was a succession of bets which could raise more than a third of a million pounds for the charity over the next ten years.

The charity has already claimed £16,750 earlier this month from Newlife’s first bet - £250 on Roger Federer to win at least 14 grand slam titles before 2020 at 66/1. His next bet on Federer to win the Wimbledon men’s singles at least seven times before 2020 carries the same odds and could raise £101,840 for Oxfam next month if Federer wins.

Cathy Ferrier, fundraising and supporter marketing director at Oxfam, said:"Legacies amount to 10 per cent of our total income from individuals, so they’re essential to us, and as this case proves they can come in all shapes and sizes.

"It is very easy to make a will and including Oxfam could leave a lasting legacy for those most in need.

"We’re enormously grateful to Mr Newlife for his generous gift, and will be keeping a close eye on Wimbledon this year as a result."

Bets still to come through

£1,520 on Roger Federer to win Wimbledon men’s singles at least seven times before 2020 at 66/1. Possible winnings: £101,840

£1,000 on Andy Roddick to win at least seven grand slam singles titles before 2020 at 33/1. Possible winnings: £34,000

£750 on Andy Roddick to win at least ten grand slam singles titles before 2020 at 100/1. Possible winnings: £75,075

£350 on Ramnaresh Sarwan to make over 7,000 test match runs by end of 2019 at 50/1. Possible winnings: £17,850

£300 on Ramnaresh Sarwan to make more than 8,000 test match runs by end of 2019 at 100/1. Possible winnings: £30,300

£250 on Ramnaresh Sarwan to make more than 9,000 test match runs by end of 2019 at 250/1. Possible winnings: £62,750

Total possible winnings including earlier wins: £338,565

Graham Sharpe, media relations director at William Hill, provides an insight into Newlife’s betting pattern:

"Mr Newlife was clearly a very shrewd sporting gambler whose early identification of potential superstars won tens of thousands of pounds for himself while he was still alive - but to ensure that a respected charity would benefit from any bets which came to fruition after his death makes him unprecedented in my 30-year experience of the betting industry.

"Roger Federer is already 6/4 hot favourite to win this summer's Wimbledon and I fully expect to be handing over a six-figure [£101, 840] cheque to Oxfam when he does so."

Image copyright: Squeakyknees,2009

Directory: Oxfam

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