A punter has shared his story of winning $100,000 by betting on Josh Tongue to represent England after being taken aback by his skill as a two-year-old.
Speaking on Kayo Sports’ Ashes broadcast during lunch on Day 3, Tim Piper revealed he was amazed by a then two-year-old Tongue and decided to cash in on what he saw.
Piper was a teammate of Tongue’s father, Phil, at Redditch Cricket Club in the 1990s.
Then one afternoon, a then two-year-old Tongue left Piper speechless.
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“I remember looking at this kid, and he was two and a half at the time, and going yeah I see there’s potential. I want to see him bowl though,” Piper said on the Kayo Sports Ashes broadcast.
“He started bowling leggies and off spinners, wronguns, and I was shaking my head thinking what’s this little kid doing.
“As he’s bowling, he’s laughing because he knows what he’s doing, but I haven’t got a clue.
“And I shook my head, walked off and went home to the missus and I said ‘This little two year old sorted me out’.”
You can watch Piper’s full interview on Tongue above
Piper was so convinced he had just seen a future cricket star that he went to several bookmakers to try and put a bet on the toddler to represent England.
Unsurprisingly, no bookmaker would consider such a bet at the time.
However, years later, a bookmaker would price up the bet when Tongue was still just 11 years old.
After turning down odds of 40-1, one bookmaker offered Piper 500-1 that he’d eventually go on to play for England, and he promptly put 100 pounds on it ($200).
Some 14 years later, the bet would cash, with Tongue making his debut against Ireland in 2023.
And Piper says he never doubted it getting up even for a moment, stating he made sure he took great care of the slip all those years.
“So I got this bet on when he was 11 years of age. 100 pounds at 500/1. Paid 50k (pounds) in England, $100,000 over here (in Australia),” he continued.
“I ironed it, kept it in my cupboard for 14 years.
“I’d iron my socks, my pants and my betting slip as well.”
Piper revealed he gave $10,000 to Tongue to help set his son up.
As for the other $90,000, he said. “I am a gambler and a bad one at that”
