Leicester City’s Premier League title run has attracted the interest of fans and celebrities around the world. And it turns out one of them may have placed a £100 bet that could earn him £500,000 (or $729,185) should Leicester City win the title today.
A Tom Hanks Leicester City Bet?
At a recent film premier for his movie A Hologram for the King, Tom Hanks joked that, even though he's an Aston Villa fan, he placed a £100 bet on Leicester City to win the Premier League. It's an unlikely bet with an even more unlikely payout: over $700,000.
Hanks won the Academy Award for Best Actor in consecutive years. He was awarded for Philadelphia in 1993 and in 1994 when he starred in Forrest Gump.
Speaking of gambling, English betting houses are prepared to pay more than £3 million ($4.4 million) in bets if Leicester wins the Premier League.
It should be remembered that before the start of the season, Leicester City paid 5000-1, so it was a real long shot.
Within the team, there will be extra money for a win as well. If the Foxes are crowned, coach Claudio Ranieri will earn a bonus of 6.4 million Euros ($7.4 million).
According to British newspaper The Times, the Italian coach, who took office in Leicester with the goal of staying in division one, signed a contract that stipulated that for each place the team advanced he will receive 130 thousand Euros ($148,000) – and also a bonus was agreed if Leicester City was champion for the first time.
Claudio Ranieri deserves this reward for an amazing season. The coach, who has led teams like Inter, Roma, Atletico Madrid and Monaco, has never won a top division league of a country (and as Greece national team manager got only one of 12 possible points).
So the Leicester City story could end as every magical tale should.
Perhaps more emotional than all the money that will change hands is what's at stake for Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. Should the Foxes win, he could celebrate at the same Old Trafford stadium where his father Peter, also a goalkeeper, shined...wearing the Manchester United uniform.
