A Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire resident has claimed a staggering £250,000 jackpot in the Super 6 football prediction game, correctly forecasting six Premier League scores during a memorable family trip to Madrid. Mark Harris, aged 51 and employed as a train maintainer for the London Underground, emerged victorious in Round 47, amassing 30 points to join an elite group of winners.
Golden Goal Decides Life-Changing Prize
Out of hundreds of thousands of participants, only one other player matched Mark's feat of predicting all six results accurately. The colossal prize was ultimately determined by a 'Golden Goal' tiebreaker, where Mark's guess of four minutes for the first goal of the round narrowly surpassed his rival's prediction of seven minutes. This crucial moment occurred when Igor Thiago converted a third-minute penalty for Brentford against Everton, sealing Mark's fortune.
Surreal Celebration in the Spanish Capital
The win unfolded in surreal fashion for Mark, who was enjoying a football-themed holiday in Madrid with his three sons. As a lifelong Arsenal supporter, he experienced a brief conflict of loyalty, relying on title rivals Manchester City to secure his jackpot with a decisive 3-0 victory over Chelsea in the final match of the round.
Mark recounted the extraordinary moment: "My work group chat messaged me saying, 'Mark, you're second in the country on Super 6.' I dismissed it as nonsense, but my son checked on his phone and confirmed it. We scrambled to find a sports bar to watch the City game, but couldn't locate one in time. When I realised I'd won, I was utterly gobsmacked."
To celebrate, the family visited an upscale restaurant nearby, where Mark humorously noted they mixed with "hoity-toity" patrons while dressed casually in shorts and T-shirts. He splurged on £200 worth of champagne, marking a first in his life.
Meeting Football Legends and Family Joy
Following his win, Mark and his family attended the recording of Stick to Football on Wednesday, April 15, where he met Arsenal icon Ian Wright alongside football pundits Roy Keane, Gary Neville, and Paul Scholes. "I'm a huge fan of Ian Wright and the others, so being there was fantastic," Mark expressed. "It's all happened so rapidly that I haven't fully absorbed it. My sons are probably more thrilled than I am—they know all the players, while I'm just enjoying the ride."
Emotional and Practical Impact of the Win
The jackpot arrives as a timely boost for Mark and his wife, who often work long, conflicting hours due to Mark's demanding shift schedule and overtime commitments ahead of retirement. "It's life-changing," he emphasised. "I constantly discuss reducing the mortgage. I love motorbike touring, but as I age, issues like arthritis in my hip requiring a replacement have arisen. This win couldn't have come at a better moment."
The victory also holds deep emotional significance, following the loss of Mark's father to cancer two years ago. A friend remarked that his father was "looking down on him," a sentiment Mark shared with his mother, who has been emotional since hearing the news.
Humble Origins and Lucky Break
Mark is the second Super 6 jackpot winner this season, joining Martin, who secured a £1 million prize in October. Despite his massive success, Mark humbly admits he is no football expert, attributing his tiebreaker win to sheer luck. "I don't know much about football compared to die-hard fans. I literally won because of my Golden Goal guess—I picked the fourth minute completely at random," he confessed.
Mark's Winning Predictions in Detail
His accurate forecasts for Round 47 were:
- Brentford 2-2 Everton (Golden Goal: 4th Min)
- Liverpool 2-0 Fulham
- Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
- Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa
- Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle United
- Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City
This remarkable story underscores how a casual player's random guess transformed into a quarter-million-pound windfall, blending football passion with family adventure and emotional resonance.
