Betfred slot game winner pockets £11.5million - and has a heartwarming plan
Arron Freeman, 44, bagged a £11.5million jackpot and received the biggest payout in Betfred's 58-year-history after playing an online slot game with a stake of just £1.50
A scaffolder has been unmasked as the winner of a record-breaking £11.5m jackpot on an online slot game. Dad-of-two Arron Freeman, 44, is said to have scooped the prize money after putting a £1.50 stake on Betfred's online slot game Mega Moolah.
The life-changing win, which occurred on Thursday June 5, is the biggest payout in the company's 58-year history. Despite becoming a multi-millionaire, Mr Freeman, who runs ASL Scaffolding, says he wants to sell his story so he can build a homeless shelter. In a press statement released after the win - in which Mr Freeman was not named - it emerged the winner opened an account after a family night out and decided to give the online casino a go.
It was then he turned a £1.50 spin into £11,498,211.89 on the Mega Moolah progressive jackpot game. Betfred founder Fred Done called him to offer his congratulations and invited him to Old Trafford as his guest.
Betfred's newest multi-millionaire was quoted as saying: 'It's still sinking in, but it was class of Fred to phone me. He told me to look after my cash and that is my plan. I'm looking forward to meeting Fred at a Manchester United home game. Hopefully, we will both celebrate if the reds win."
He added: 'I've been a horse racing punter my whole life and hit the crossbar a few times with some of my accas but obviously never hit the jackpot like this. It was the missus' idea that we gave the casino a go and we certainly got lucky. I love racing so I will still have a bet on the horses, but it will still be my normal small stakes.'
Mr Freeman is in a relationship with Kelly Dighton, who runs a TikTok page, @kelly.dighton, where she shares daily updates on her progress as a recovering addict. She says she is more than 100 days clean.
Mr Freeman shared a post on Facebook in April expressing support for his partner. He shared one of her posts, commenting: "What can I say apart from I'm so proud of you, my beautiful woman! You're getting stronger by the day, which is making me stronger by the day! Please share this and make people aware."
Speaking to the Eastern Daily Press, Mr Freeman said: "I am in shock, but I am not gonna say too much at the minute. Basically, I am going to sell my story to the highest bidder. The money the highest bidder gives me is going to be put towards building a homeless shelter, so it's going to go to a good cause."
Ms Dighton's parents run the Lake Lothing Public House on Rotterdam Road in Lowestoft, Suffolk. Man United fan Mr Freeman is understood to have been living between there and his father's house in Mulbarton, Norfolk.
A friend, who wished to remain anonymous, reportedly said: 'Aaron is still in shock, and it hasn't really set in. Of course, it is a life-changing amount of money, so it's something I think he is coming to terms with. He is a father, and I think he's still trying to get his head around it. I think he and his partner are off on holiday and are going to take some time to decide their options."
'He's a sensible chap and is planning to invest some of his winnings into property for his family,' said Betfred founder Mr Done. 'But not before enjoying a holiday of a lifetime." Mr Done also advised the jackpot winner to never gamble again.
The record-breaking payout is more than double of the previous biggest win at Betfred, when in 2023 Michael Clark from Newcastle scooped £5.4m. Mega Moolah is a safari-themed jackpot slot that has five reels and 25 paylines. The minimum bet is 25p per spin.
With doubling wild wins and a Free Spins feature with a trebling multiplier, it's all about the Progressive Jackpot Bonus Game where you spin to wheel to guarantee 1 of 4 progressive jackpots.
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