How very lucky punters could have won more than $1MILLION by betting a single dollar on the Melbourne Cup

Lucky bettors could have won more than $1 million by betting one dollar on the 164th running of the nation-stopper race, won by outsider Knight’s Choice in a photo finish.

An 80-1 shot, Knight’s Choice won by a nose ahead of trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon of Japanese raider Warp Speed ​​at Flemington on Tuesday.

Ciaron Maher-trained Okita Soushi was third, while global racing giant Godolphin’s Zardozi was fourth.

There were huge wins to be had, especially for those who picked the top four.

Australian sportsbook UBET paid $1,054,972.90 for the top four, with NSWTAB paying $870,448.60 and SuperTab paying $728,015.70.

For a trifecta, UBET paid $28,491.70, with NSWTAB paying $22,576.80 and SuperTab paying $22,576.80.

Knight’s Choice is the longest-priced winner of the major race since Prince of Penzance in 2015.

Irish jockey Robbie Dolan produced what 2021 Cup-winning jockey James McDonald described as ‘one of the best rides I’ve ever seen’ in Australia’s biggest race.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but it feels like I’ve ridden it ten times already because I’ve ridden it a hundred times in my head,” Dolan, 28, told broadcaster Nine after the race.

‘To win it with him (father Bobby) here and my daughter Maisy and my partner Christine, I’m going to cry again. Jesus Christ.

“Look, you can’t do it without (trainers) Sheila and John. They had so much confidence in this horse even before he entered this race.

‘A lot of people doubted it. And honestly, I didn’t do that.’

It gave Symons and Laxon their first Cup win together, after Laxon became the first woman to train the winner with Ethereal in 2001.

“What a great ride from Robbie,” Symons told Nine.

“He stayed in, took the risk, went through the pack.

“I was worried and he came back further than we talked about, but it was a great ride.

‘What a sensation.’

Daily Mail Australia brings you information on the final finishing order and form of every horse and rider in the Melbourne Cup and how they performed at the 2024 event.

Winner: Knight’s Choice

Defied all the so-called experts and odds as high as 81-1 to charge home down the infamous Flemington straight and muscle his way into the lead. Robbie Dolan had the ride of his life and just claimed his third Group 1 victory.

2: Warp speed

The Japanese rider was involved in a duel with Okita Soushi that looked like it would decide the winner of the cup, but was rudely nicked by Knight’s Choice with the line in sight.

3: Okita Soushi

Found the perfect line on the straight and pedaled away, confident he would win. But the extra length of the Melbourne Cup sapped the speed and slipped back into the duel with Warp Speed ​​before also being overshadowed by Knight’s Choice.

4: Zardozi

Sometimes winning isn’t everything. Jockey Andrea Atzeni rode almost perfectly and the horse had every chance over the 3200 meters. I gave it everything and a place in the top four was the reward.

5: Absurd

Kerrin McEvoy looked set for a big run to the finish but rammed straight into the back of Zardozii, depriving his mount of all momentum and chance of a top three finish.

6: Circle of fire

Another horse who produced a huge run after doubts were raised about his ability to compete over the distance. The Sydney Cup winner will have to put in a lot of effort to get to the front of the pack in the grueling final 800 meters.

7: Fancy Man

Another rough one that finished much higher than most people gave him credit for.

8: Country legend

There is no doubt that this horse can race, but staying focused remains a problem for Chris Waller. They tried earmuffs to keep this skittish horse on track, but couldn’t get the performance they wanted.

9: Buckaroo

Was lured into favoritism by punters, but came into the Cup with a well-documented problem: the Cup had never been won at this distance before. The risk didn’t pay off.

10: Kovalica

Missed the start and never recovered

11: Vauban

Another one to add to the favorite’s scrap heap at the Melbourne Cup. After finishing thirteenth favorite in 2023, the Vauban experiment may now be over.

12: One smooth operator

The late money made Onesmoothoperator second favorite, but it yielded no results over the entire distance. Vets discovered a cut on his right heel last week and a second vet check was needed to get fit for the race. It is not yet clear whether that was a problem here.

13: Brave king

14: Sea King

15: Interpretation

16: Sharp ‘N’ Smart

17: Trust in you

18: Partly cloudy

19: Manzoice

20: Positivity

21: The map

22: Saint George

23: Just good