Trending: The beyond-the-grave bet that netted a charity £100,000

Bad news for British tennis fans translated to good news for British charity fans, with the result of a 2003 bet on Roger Federer to win seven Wimbledon titles. Nick Newlife gambled £1,520 at 66/1 that the Swiss would win his seventh title before 2019. Sadly, (but not for Oxfam), Newlife died in 2009 but left his betting slip to the charity in his will. Yesterday William Hill paid out just over £100,000. In terms of long-gestating bets, it's up there with Eddie Kirkland's 12-year wait to cash a 100/1 bet on his goalkeeping son Chris playing for England. Or how about Charlie Boy Smith who bet £10 at a million-to-one that he'd live to 140 aged 76? Sadly he died just two years later.