The first time turned out to be the financially beneficial charm for Tara Barrett, who pocketed a whopping $ 50,000 payday for winning the game’s rollover first prize.
The rookie scored 154 correct picks in a turbulent season on the West swing rig, finishing in second place in a draw but outpacing the house by a 68-point tiebreak margin.
The 35-year-old has fluctuated between first and second for the past three rounds, and her phone was constantly updated as the competition went to the limit.
“I was following the app on my phone, waiting for it to pass because I was very close,” she said.
“When I saw that I was the first, I was so shocked that I screamed.
“I was pinching myself because it didn’t feel real.”
The tipping rookie entered the competition for the first time this year by beating her husband, but ended up winning in front of more than 40,000 WA soccer fans vying for a total prize pool of over $ 150,000.
“To be honest, I’ve never done this before, so it must have been a beginner’s luck,” he said.
“I didn’t know anything, so for me going out on top is absolutely insane.”
The win, courtesy of TABtouch, will help the Barrett family pay a down payment for a new home.
And for anyone looking for a clue as to who will win the Grand Final, Ms. Barrett is backing Collingwood to continue her lightning-fast run.
The winner of the Mazda BT-50 SP worth over $ 70,000 also has his hands full.
Kent Murphy was drawn as the winner after being robbed on lap 20, but is now fighting 17-year-old twins for the car.
“Those were tough years in the business world, so winning something like that made me cry,” he said.
“I had tears of joy, and it was so unexpected.
“(The twins) are already discussing this, and I run a small real estate business and my staff want it as a work car, so I’m really torn about what to do right now.
“Everyone raises their hand saying they deserve it more than me.”
Mr. Murphy is a tipping veteran and says he does it “religiously”, finishing in the top two percent overall.
“When I qualified for round 20, 20 is my lucky number and I told all my friends that I think I will win, but when I got the call, I didn’t. I still didn’t believe it, “she said.
“It is truly a humbling experience.”
Another huge prize pool will be up for grabs in The Game’s cricket episode, with the Big Bash League season starting on December 13th.