Lewis Hamilton fan won $187,463 in 2008 for betting on his ability in 1998
Richard Hopkins, dazzled by Lewis Hamilton when he was 13, placed bets on the Briton in 1998, and 10 years after the fact gave him a fortune.
Even before his call to F1, Lewis Hamilton was reliably the center of attention. Everyone knew that before long a prodigy would enter F1. Be that as it may, the Hamilton enthusiast saw his true type before anyone else.
In 1998, Richard Hopkins, who had seen Hamilton compete in go-karts for the most part at age 13, was dazzled to the point that he was ready to take the money leap. After seeing Hamilton fight with his child Evan, Hopkins was sure that the former would hold the title.
In 1998, Hopkins bet $227 on Hamilton winning his most memorable race at the age of 23, at odds of 200/1. After nine years, the young 22-year-old new kid on the block gave him that feat by coming out on top in his most memorable race in Canada.
While Hamilton took out the prize, Hopkins took home $45,450. Around the same time, a Hamilton supporter made another bet of $113 that the young McLaren driver would make it to the top and win the title before he turned 25. The odds were 500/1 at the time.
In 2008, at the age of 23, after an emotional Brazilian Grand Prix battle between Felipe Massa and Hamilton, a last-second chance secured the title by one.
Hopkins won $56,813 as a result, but it gave him a few minutes to worry as he could lose all his money. “I was trying not to look and I was basically hiding behind the couch. To be honest, I thought he screwed up,” Hopkins said of the 2008 title.
Great trust in Lewis Hamilton has paid off
Hopkins had such confidence in his child’s opponent that he put down another bet that Hamilton would achieve both of the aforementioned achievements. He placed a bet of $56 on which he had odds of 1500/1.
That way, Hopkins will win an extra $85,200. In that regard, he has amassed more than $187,463 in total. When he saw this figure, he apparently boasted that he had noticed and grasped his Hamilton ability so ably.
“I’ve known Lewis since his early days and it wasn’t hard to see that he had an undeniable ability to drive combined with an incredible drive. I just suspected much better things would come his way,” said Hopkins.
Currently, 24 years after first placing the bet, Hamilton is currently a seven-time title holder. I can’t help thinking what might have happened if Hopkins had one day bet on the Mercedes star to equal Michael Schumacher’s title haul.
