Leicester fan set to scoop £100,000 if Foxes win Premier League after £20 pre-season bet

John Pryke, 59, placed the speculative 5,000/1 bet on a whim with bookmakers Ladbrokes last August after "fancying the look" of the odds

Big win: Pryke is set to land over £100,000

An optimistic Leicester City fan stands to scoop £100,000 after he had a £20 flutter on The Foxes winning the Premier League before the season began.

John Pryke, 59, placed the speculative 5,000/1 bet on a whim with bookmakers Ladbrokes last August after "fancying the look" of the odds.

He said he was inspired by the efforts of Greece, who were massive underdogs when they went on to win the 2004 European Championships.

Leicester are now sitting five points clear at the top of the league with just 13 games to play leaving John with wife Julie, 59, with an anxious wait.

John, who has been supporting The Foxes for over 45 years, said he was confident Ranieri's men can go on to clinch the title.

The bet: Pryke's Pre-season punt

He added: "I feel confident. I'm nervous, but I think we'll do it. I don't think it will go the last game, or even the last two games, of the season.

"I think we'll wrap it up at home versus Sunderland in the second week of April. But, really, I'm just hoping City do it. It will be brilliant for the club and the city.

"The odds were so good, I just thought: 'Well, that's not bad - I fancy that' so I had a bet on them.

"I remember when Greece won the European Championships in 2004, as late entrants. No-one fancied them.

"They were 500/1 to win it and I remember my son, Christopher, said to me: 'They'll win it, dad,' and I laughed at him.

Punt: Pryke backed the title win at 5000/1

"Lo and behold, they did. I didn't want to miss out like that again.

"I'm not a big gambler but when I saw the odds for City - 5,000/1, and with the way we finished last season - I thought it was worth a go."

Ironically, John used to be an avid fan of title rivals and initial favourites Manchester City - only to switch allegiances when the pair met in the 1969 FA Cup final.

He said: "That was a good Man City team - but I liked the way Leicester played and I felt sorry for them because they were relegated the same season.

"I've stuck with them ever since.

"I remember crossing out the word 'Manchester' on my Manchester City school bag and writing Leicester.

"That was it from then on."

Care company owner John, of Leicester Forest East, is already planning how his winnings will be spent and hopes to invest money into his business and buy a bungalow.

And he admits even wife Julie is now nervously tracking the Foxes' results.

He said: "What will I spend it on? I don't know. Maybe I'll invest it into the business.

"Maybe I'll buy a bungalow for us all. I don't know.

Mastermind: Ranieri has overseen an unlikely title challenge

"My wife, Julie, isn't really a football fan but even she's interested now."

Leicester are now currently 2/1 joint favourites to win the league with Arsenal,while Manchester City and Tottenham follow at 3/1 and 9/2 respectively.

Ladbrokes have had 46 customers take on the 5,000/1 odds - meaning they are looking at a whopping £1million pound payout to those customers alone if Leicester finish top.

Jessica Bridge, of Ladbrokes, said: "We're staring down the barrel of a multi-million pound payout.

"We thought we'd outfoxed punters by offering 5000/1 pre-season, but we can only doff our cap to Claudio Ranieri's team who have proven us all wrong.

"It's not every day of the week you get to lay a team like Leicester to win the league, so with the liabilities racking up we find ourselves in the unusual position of cheering on former champions Manchester City for the trophy."