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World Cup sidelights: Winning bet provides consolation for Spanish fan

June 16, 2014 14:49 IST
A waiter uses a megaphone to cheer Spanish soccer fans watching their team playing against the Netherlands in a Madrid tavern on Friday

At least one Spain fan gained some satisfaction from the holders' 5-1 thrashing by Netherlands on Friday after he was the only player in a sweepstake to predict the result and won 100,000 euros ($136,200) in fuel.

Jacobo Rios-Capape, 56, an architect from Valencia, was one of 70,000 to take part in the World Cup sweepstake organised by Spanish oil company Cepsa, one of the Spain team's sponsors, at their gas stations, Marca sports daily reported on Sunday.

"While obviously wanting Spain to win, I thought that if Netherlands beat us they would do it handsomely," Rios-Capape told the newspaper.

"So I thought of 5-1 even if I was not that sure," he added.

"Actually, after I did it I thought it was crazy and it would never happen."

Spain play their next Group B match against Chile on Wednesday and Rios-Capape said he was planning to take another punt on the result.

"It will be my revenge for the defeat to Netherlands," he told Marca.

"Tomorrow I am going to fill up my car and I am going to bet that Spain beat Chile 5-1."

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power offered odds of 500-1 on Netherlands beating Spain 5-1 and said on their Twitter feed 10 punters had placed the bet.

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