George Lineker, the son of former England striker Gary Lineker, landed a substantial four-figure payout from a daring seven-fold accumulator bet on the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France. He staked just £20.03 at odds of 170/1, walking away with £4,276.40.
How George Lineker Won the Bet
The 34-year-old entrepreneur correctly predicted that both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe would score in the final. He also backed the score to be 2-2 after 90 minutes, which it was, and correctly tipped Argentina to win the trophy on penalties. His remaining selections centred on the total number of corners and yellow cards shown during the match.
Sharing the winning bet slip on social media, George joked: "If anyone deserves to win a bet, I think it's me. Thank you all." The post drew reactions from Piers Morgan, who replied "Haha…you were due one. Congrats mate," and his brother Spencer, who quipped: "The only good thing to come out of this."
The 2022 World Cup Final: A Historic Match
The 2022 final in Qatar is widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in football history. Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to victory over France after an extraordinary 3-3 draw that featured a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick before a dramatic penalty shootout. That triumph finally completed Messi's glittering career, as he lifted the one major trophy that had previously eluded him.
Now 39, Messi has the chance to become a back-to-back World Cup winner as Argentina face Spain in Sunday's final. Argentina booked their place after a dramatic comeback victory over England on Wednesday evening, with Messi providing two crucial assists.
Gary Lineker's World Cup Legacy
Gary Lineker was one of England's greatest World Cup heroes during his playing days. The former Three Lions striker won the Golden Boot at Mexico in 1986 and finished his international career with 10 World Cup goals – a national record that stood for 40 years before Harry Kane overtook him earlier this summer. He is also a familiar face at the tournament as a broadcaster, fronting the BBC's live coverage for decades and now starring on Netflix with his hugely popular The Rest Is Football podcast.
George Lineker will no doubt be hoping lightning strikes twice as he looks to land another money-spinning World Cup final punt on Sunday.
