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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Dying man wins bet he would live | Dying man wins bet he would live |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| A Buckinghamshire man diagnosed with terminal cancer is to collect a second winning payout of £5,000 after betting he would stay alive. | A Buckinghamshire man diagnosed with terminal cancer is to collect a second winning payout of £5,000 after betting he would stay alive. |
| Jon Matthews, 59, from Milton Keynes, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos, in 2006 and told he had months to live. | Jon Matthews, 59, from Milton Keynes, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos, in 2006 and told he had months to live. |
| He placed two bets, each with a £100 stake at odds of 50/1, that he would be alive in June 2008 and in June 2009. | He placed two bets, each with a £100 stake at odds of 50/1, that he would be alive in June 2008 and in June 2009. |
| A third wager will earn him a further £10,000 if he lives until 1 June 2010. | A third wager will earn him a further £10,000 if he lives until 1 June 2010. |
| The widower will collect his second lot of £5,000 winnings on Monday. | |
| Never in 30 years in the business have I been so pleased to pay a winning client Graham Sharpe from William Hill | Never in 30 years in the business have I been so pleased to pay a winning client Graham Sharpe from William Hill |
| Mr Matthews said: "I think I'm the first person in the world to bet on my own life. | Mr Matthews said: "I think I'm the first person in the world to bet on my own life. |
| "When I was diagnosed I was told mesothelioma was a death sentence. | "When I was diagnosed I was told mesothelioma was a death sentence. |
| "I wasn't that fussed because everyone has to die some time. | "I wasn't that fussed because everyone has to die some time. |
| "But the interesting thing for me was how long it would take - would it take weeks or years?" | "But the interesting thing for me was how long it would take - would it take weeks or years?" |
| Mr Matthews said he planned to give away most of his winnings to charities, including the cancer charity Macmillan. | |
| William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "We had never been asked to accept a bet of this nature before. | William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "We had never been asked to accept a bet of this nature before. |
| "But as Jon approached us directly and was adamant that it would give him an additional incentive to battle his illness, we offered him the bets he wanted. | "But as Jon approached us directly and was adamant that it would give him an additional incentive to battle his illness, we offered him the bets he wanted. |
| "Never in 30 years in the business have I been so pleased to pay a winning client £10,000, with, I trust, a further £10,000 to come next year." | "Never in 30 years in the business have I been so pleased to pay a winning client £10,000, with, I trust, a further £10,000 to come next year." |