Fifty pence gets nearly $2 million

An unidentified small-time gambler last week walked into a William Hill betting shop in Thirsk, England, wagered all of 50 pence (about $1) and correctly tabbed eight winners at various racetracks. At combined odds of nearly 2.8 million to one, the gambler won 1 million pounds ($1.98 million).

The streak started with a horse named Isn’t That Lucky and ended with one named A Dream Come True.

The man, believed to be in his 60s, found out about his winning ticket when he showed up at another William Hill parlor about 15 miles away the next day. He made five more 50-pence bets and then asked a worker to check his betting slip from the day before.

According to a William Hill spokesman, “He went visibly pale before saying he would have to go tell his wife.”

Good idea. It’s not easy hiding $1.98 million in a sock drawer.

Another lucky bettor

The New York horse player who last month won more than $3.1 million on a Santa Anita pick six spent $4,320 on his winning ticket. But he had planned to only spend $4,000. Fortunately for him, he found another $331 in his pocket, giving him enough money to make the wager -- and still have money left over to buy two hot dogs.

Trivia time

Before Jim Buss joined the Lakers’ front office 10 years ago, what was his profession?

Obvious difference

Wide receiver Steve Smith, the former Trojan now with the New York Giants, was asked by Petros Papadakis on radio station 570: “What is the difference between winning a national championship in college and winning a Super Bowl?”

Said Smith: “The money.”

Travel bonus

Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle says he has plenty of sympathy for the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox since they are opening the season in Japan.

But, he adds, “The trip’s not as arduous as I thought, though. They won’t be traveling by tramp steamer. And each player will receive a $40,000 bonus, which means new rims for the Hummer.”

Big bellies

Baseball’s Florida Marlins have joined the NBA’s Chicago Bulls in fielding a plus-size all-male cheerleading squad, called the Manatees, for which tubbiness is a job requirement.

Or, as Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times noted: “No gut, no glory.” And this from NBC’s Conan O’Brien: “They’ll be called the Marlin Brandos.”

Appropriate name

Reader Bill Littlejohn, noting that Sam Zell, the new owner of the Tribune Co., might sell naming rights to Wrigley Field, offers this suggestion: “How about Century Title Field -- since it has been a century since the Cubs won a World Series?”

Elite group

Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, noting that Barack Obama has garnered the endorsement of the Portland Trail Blazers’ Greg Oden, wrote: “Oden represents a small but powerful demographic: 20-year-old athletes who look 45 and are out injured.”

Tough question

Much has been made of giving NFL prospects the Wonderlic test. But a polygraph might be even tougher.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis took one on a recent episode of FSN’s “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and didn’t fare too well. When he was asked whether he was surprised that the Ravens won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer at quarterback, he answered, “No.”

The polygraph disagreed.

Trivia answer

Buss was a horse trainer for nine years.

And finally

President Bush, during the champion Red Sox’s visit to the White House last week, said of Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka: “His press corps is bigger than mine. And we both have trouble answering questions in English.”

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