Unlucky with big win

THE results of the Melbourne Cup race has shocked a lot more unlucky punters than winners, but for March Girls Resort employee, Tau Hanua, it was a different story.
Hanua could not believe his luck late that evening, when a relative told him he was entitled to close to K11,000.
Not a regular punter, Hanua made his pick on Monday night, boxing three horses on Quinella for K50 each, only changing one of his picks a little over half an hour before the start on Tuesday.
Even more remarkable, he was all the way at the InterOil station, Badihagwa, by the time his picks went around the final bend for the home straight.
“I just placed my bets and left, I did not know when the race started, or when it finished,” Hanua said.
“It was only this morning (Wednesday), when I fronted up at the betting shop that I realised the amount of money I had won. Lucky number eight,” Hanua said, referring to Crime Scene that finished in second placing.
“The counter was packed with people pushing and shoving, and any choice was the go. I picked number eight in place of the scratched number 23,” he said.
The lucky tipster, one of the few winners at the event, was unaware, however of the maximum payout of K4,000 in winnings at the bookmakers in PNG.
He queried why the total payment wasn’t made to him.
“I am happy with my win, but I just want to know why? May be a little more information for the punters,” Hanua said.
Nambawan Bookmakers’ Chris Dooley said  that the quinella situation was something beyond the control of all bookmakers in PNG.