A PUNTER says he has lost out on hundreds of pounds after a blunder by a bookmakers.

Jack Waland, of Roscoe Road, Billingham, near Stockton, fancied his chances after being given odds of 325-1 on Ronaldo to score first and Manchester United to win 3-1 in their Carling Cup match against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night.

And the 25-year-old student could not believe his luck when a last-minute goal secured his victory.

He believed he had won £815 from his £2.50 bet and spent the night celebrating by buying drinks for his friends in the pub.

But when he went to cash in his winning bet at Coral, in Billingham, yesterday, he was told that staff had made a mistake and would only pay him £65, based on the 25-1 odds he should have been offered.

Mr Waland said: “I can’t believe they won’t pay up. I have a slip which has the odds on at 325-1 and it had been signed by them. I only put the bet on because of the odds they gave me.

“I watched the game in the pub with my mates. I couldn’t believe it when the goal went in to make it 3-1, especially as it was in the last minute.”

He added: “I was so excited when I thought I had won hundreds of pounds. I was jumping around the pub and I bought all my friends drinks.

“It is a lot of money to me. I am a student and it would have helped pay for my accommodation.”

A spokesman for Coral said: “Sadly, there is nothing we can do. It was a new member of staff who added the two bets together, but we have set odds for something like this.

“We hold our hands up to the mistake but we will only pay out in accordance with our rules. We have to follow correct procedures.