A once-a-year punter has pulled off the bet of a lifetime, turning $2 into a couple of hundred thousand after correctly picking the first four of the Melbourne Cup – in order.
The first four paid $176,561.60 on the NZ TAB with the $2 dividend delivering a massive return of $351,121.
MORE: Melbourne Cup 2025 Results and Replay
Sam Moncur, the Chief Financial Officer for Entain Australia and New Zealand, says the punter’s only recent bets were on each of the Melbourne Cups from the last few years.
HALF YOURS WINS THE MELBOURNE CUP! 🇦🇺🏆 pic.twitter.com/dZtNSO9Z4x
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 4, 2025
“This is a classic Melbourne Cup fan who has a flutter once a year and spends somewhere between $20 to $40 on a few bets,” Moncur said.
“This year, they put on a quinella, a couple of trifectas and an each-way bet, and have quite brilliantly put the first four horses in exact order on their First4 ticket for double the total First4 dividend.”
A few other TAB NZ customers turned a small outlay into a massive result with one collecting close to $90,000 off a $12 bet.
MORE: Melbourne Cup – Past Winners
“The Melbourne Cup continues to have that allure year after year, and that shows with the figures from this year’s Cup,” Moncur said.
“We had a bit of support for the winner Half Yours off the back of his Caulfield Cup win, and some TAB punters were astute – or lucky – enough to get a slice of the $176,561 First4.
“That’s the beauty of such a big field in the great race.”
NOTABLE WINS
$5 Percentage First4 – returned $54,729
$1 Percentage First4 – returned $12,358
$1 Percentage First4 – returned $10,593
$12 Percentage First4 – returned $88,269
$6 Percentage First4 – returned $44,134