Kitchen fitter wins £1m last-minute bet on Eder scoring opening goal in Euro 2016 final
A kitchen fitter has won £1 million after placing a last-minute bet on Portuguese striker Eder scoring the opening goal in the Euro 2016 final.
Daman Chick, 32, predicted striker Eder would score before anyone else as Portugal beat hosts France to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy at the Stade de France at the weekend.
Before kick-off, the 28-year-old striker, who failed to find the net during a stint at Swansea last season, was 14,322-1 to score in the 109h minute. But he managed to defy those odds as the game went to extra time.
Mr Chick, from Birmingham, had staked on a goal in the 84th minute, but BetVictor revealed he was the closest to the actual time in its Million Pound Goal competition, which was enough to earn him the cash.
The father-of-two was automatically entered into the competition after placing a £5 bet during the tournament.
Mr Chick did not initially know he had won, and after no-one came forward to claim the prize, a worldwide #MissingMillionaire campaign was launched on social media and in newspapers.
"Only on Wednesday morning, when my wife was sent a picture of the article in the Birmingham Mail did I know the #MissingMillionaire campaign was looking for me," Mr Chick said.
"In all honesty, it was hard to speak through the surge of tears that came over me."
Mr Chick said he intends to use his newfound wealth to treat his parents first.
"They've worked hard enough to support me over the years, so I want to give them something back," he said.
Matt Scarrott, BetVictor director of Sportsbook, said: "When we devised the campaign, our aim was to make someone a millionaire overnight.
"As it happens, Eder's extra-time goal for Portugal has indeed made one happy punter an instant millionaire - a life-changing sum of money - and we are thrilled for Daman."