I know we all have that one outrageous bet we wish we'd placed. For me, it's the story of Stacey Evans, daughter of Liverpool legend Roy Evans, who executed what can only be described as the ultimate cash-out masterclass. Even now, in 2026, her legendary wager during that jaw-dropping 2023 Anfield massacre still gets me grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Let me set the scene. It's March 2023, and Manchester United are strutting into Anfield as the bookmakers' darlings. They'd just ended their six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup, and the form guide practically had them wearing a favourite's crown. Nobody – and I mean nobody – saw what was coming. Except, perhaps, a woman with red in her blood.

Stacey, following in the footsteps of her father who played for the Reds from 1965 to 1974 and later managed the club from 1994 to 1998, clearly felt something special brewing. Before a ball was kicked, she strolled into the betting shop and placed a £5 wager on Liverpool to annihilate Manchester United 6-0 at a staggering 350/1 odds. Let that sink in – a fiver could return £1,750 if it landed.

But here's where sheer genius kicks in. As the goals rained down at Anfield – the opener right on the stroke of half-time, then a relentless barrage that made it 4-0 by the 66th minute – Stacey didn't bite her nails waiting for the final whistle. When Mohamed Salah smashed home Liverpool's sixth goal, she hit the cash-out button faster than you can say "you'll never walk alone". She walked away with £1,350, a mind-bending profit of £1,345 from that single slip.

Why was this move so brilliant? Because just minutes later, Roberto Firmino rubbed salt into United's wounds by making it 7-0 in the 88th minute. If Stacey had clung on for the full-time whistle, her 6-0 correct score bet would have been a cold, losing ticket. Instead, she grabbed her winnings and probably danced a jig with the Kop.

But wait – the fairy tale doesn't end there. Stacey had spread her intuition across multiple bets, effectively hedging her prophetic vibes. She also put £5 on Liverpool to win 4-0, which she cashed out for £97.15. And another £5 on a 5-0 victory, cashing that out for a tidy £280.56. When you tally it all up, she raked in over £1,700 from a total stake of just £15. Talk about a return on investment that makes even the most seasoned punters weep with envy.

Here's a quick breakdown of her masterstroke:

What gets me every time isn't just the cash – it's the precision. To predict a thrashing like that against your fiercest rivals, then have the nerve to cash out at the absolute peak, feels like a footballing sixth sense. Stacey later posted a screenshot with the caption: “What a win! GET IN RED MEN!!!! And when you cash out at all the right times.” Pure gold.

That historic 7-0 win propelled Liverpool back into the Champions League race, leapfrogging Newcastle into fifth and putting pressure on fourth-placed Spurs with a game in hand. The psychological scars for United? They trudged off to face Real Betis in the Europa League wondering what had hit them.

For me, a regular bettor who's never quite nailed that Hollywood moment, Stacey's tale is a glorious reminder of why we love this beautiful, unpredictable game. It's not about glory-hunting; it's about trusting your gut, understanding the emotional tide of a derby, and – occasionally – having the audacity to believe in a 350/1 miracle. Three years on, I still tip my hat to her. She didn't just beat the bookies; she outsmarted the final score itself. Now if only I could borrow that crystal ball for the next North West derby…