How Oxfam won more than $150k off Roger Federer’s win at Wimbledon

Nine years ago, after 21-year-old Roger Federer won his first Wimbledon championship, a man by the name of Nick Newlife of Oxfordshire, England, bet that Federer would break the record for the most wins at Wimbledon by 2020.

For Newlife to win the bet, Federer would have to win the tournament seven times. On Sunday, he did just that, and with eight years to spare!

Newlife bet approximately $2,000 on Federer back in 2003 and received 66/1 odds that Federer would win seven titles by 2020. Unfortunately, 59-year-old Newlife passed away in 2009. This is where Oxfam comes in.

Newlife left his entire estate, including that betting slip to Oxfam, an international charity. With Federer’s win, Oxfam won more than $150,000 on Newlife’s bet. Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time Oxfam has won cash off of one of Newlife’s bets. The organization had already cashed in on another bet that Federer would win at least 14 Grand Slam titles before 2020 (he’s currently up to 17).

It isn’t uncommon for individuals to leave their estate to Oxfam. In fact, at least 10 percent of the organization’s annual income comes from legacy gifts from Oxfam supporters. These gifts make a huge difference in the work Oxfam does around the world to fight poverty.

While every gift matters to Oxfam, no matter how small, the organization has also received some more unusual legacies. One of the most unusual: a pair of gold teeth and a dentist’s chair from a former dentist.

What many people may not realize is that donations to charities don’t always have to come in the form of cash. When individuals leave possessions — or their entire estate, for that matter — to a charity, the organization is able to auction or sell the items for cash.

Are you interested in leaving a gift for Oxfam in your Will? Click here to find out how.

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