A $5 bet on the Melbourne Cup transformed a homeless man, Robert, into a homeowner with $106,000 in winnings. Similarly, a US resident named Cameron turned a $5 NFL bet into $72,795, paying off loans and becoming debt-free.


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A $5 bet has made it possible for a homeless guy to purchase a house.

Not wishing to reveal his last name, Robert placed a bet on the Melbourne Cup and won more than 2,000 times his initial investment.

The man from New Zealand went to his local working men's club to watch the race after placing his bet.

When he checked his TAB account after the race, he discovered a sizable sum of money waiting for him to withdraw.



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Robert described the revelation as "quite an emotional process," and like many of us, he celebrated by having a few drinks with his newly acquired $106,000 in winnings.

"I couldn’t believe it, and I thought to myself, ‘there must be something wrong here’," he told the New Zealand Herald.

"I went into my easy bets and realized that there was a green tick next to my $5 first four easy bets with $106,000."

Robert said that having spent the previous nine months living in a garage, buying a house with the money is his top goal after indulging in a few beers.


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“I’ve gone from being homeless, sitting in a garage to finally being able to afford a deposit on a house now,” Robert said.

The $106,000 originated from Robert's $5 bet, the online sports and horse racing book TAB acknowledged to the New Zealand Herald.

Robert accompanies Cameron Craig, a resident of the USA, in winning large money off of a meager $5 bet.

Cameron picked the four players who would score the first touchdown in each of the four Divisional Round games when he made a four-leg parlay bet on the NFL Conference Championships back in January.


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Cameron was given the option to pay out with over $1,400 after hitting his first three wagers, but he decided to wait and see how his fourth and final gamble turned out instead.

And when Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz scored a touchdown, his confidence paid off.
"Life-changing money!! Can’t believe that just happened!! Here’s my reaction live," he penned next to the clip.

"For anybody saying that’s not life-changing. My loans are now paid off and I’m debt-free."


Whether it's getting a house deposit or getting rid of debts, the stories of Robert and Cameron show that even a small $5 bet can bring unexpected and amazing changes.

Their experiences prove that luck and chance can be surprising and inspiring, turning ordinary bets into life-changing moments.