Now that’s unlucky

There were a bunch of stories in the British press about a guy being the country’s
“unluckiest punter” because he barely missed a 6-way horse bet that would have made him a millionaire. Then, when the winner was about to give him a consolation prize, the poor guy died.

From the Evening Times:

Jack Lee, 75, from Newcastle, was preparing to receive the gift from Stuart Bolland, but died last night.

Software engineer Mr Bolland, from Greater Manchester, became Britain’s first betting shop millionaire when he won �1.1m after picking the winners in six races, just a week after Mr Lee lost the same rollover jackpot.

Mr Lee won just �90, when his jackpot winner was disqualified.

When Mr Bolland, 42, was heard how Mr Lee had lost out on Scoop6 windfall he said he would give him �15,000.

He was due to present the retired father-of-four with the money today at a press conference in Manchester when he was told Mr Lee had died. A pensioner dubbed the unluckiest punter in Britain, after missing out on a near-�1million jackpot on the horses, has died - hours before he was due to receive �15,000 in a goodwill gesture.

Jack Lee, 75, from Newcastle, was preparing to receive the gift from Stuart Bolland, but died last night.

Software engineer Mr Bolland, from Greater Manchester, became Britain’s first betting shop millionaire when he won �1.1m after picking the winners in six races, just a week after Mr Lee lost the same rollover jackpot.

Mr Lee won just �90, when his jackpot winner was disqualified.

When Mr Bolland, 42, was heard how Mr Lee had lost out on Scoop6 windfall he said he would give him �15,000.

He was due to present the retired father-of-four with the money today at a press conference in Manchester when he was told Mr Lee had died.
Unlucky OAP dies before gift - Evening Times

There’s also this from the BBC:

Tom Lee of Betfred said: “Jack sadly passed away last night.

“We heard the news from a driver we had sent up to bring him to today’s presentation.

“Everyone is naturally very down about it, including Stuart Bolland, the winner, who was very cut up about it.”

If Lee thought he was unlucky before, this just proves how wrong he was. I’m guess he would trade the 1.1 million jackpot for life any day of the week.

I don’t know what’s worse, dying, or having someone say that they are “very cut up” about your death. I guess that’s a Britishism or something, but it sounds pretty flippant on this side of the Atlantic.

If you ever want to get perspective on how to deal with perceived misfortune, read Boethius.