Retired Civil Servant Wins NLe 588,000 From a 5 Leones Mercury Bet

Leslie Prince-Mensah Cocker, a retired civil engineer and passionate Manchester United fan in his 70s, has seen his daily pastime turn into a life-changing fortune. Cocker has won a staggering NLe 692,000 (before tax) from Mercury International’s football betting platform, walking away with a net payout of NLe 588,000 after tax.

This comes after he placed a 5 New Leone stake. 

For Leslie, the massive win came down to a clever strategy of backing the very teams that had previously let him down.

Turning Disappointments Into a Strategy

Leslie Prince-Mensah Cocker proudly displays his winning Mercury International check 

Cocker, who recently returned home after working for many years in England, has been playing Mercury International games for roughly ten years. Unlike other players who split their time between the lottery and sports betting, Cocker has strictly played football betting.

For his winning slip, he carefully selected a 15-team accumulator. Rather than tracking high-profile international tournaments, he focused his bet on club friendlies and local leagues stretching across the globe.

“You can’t be sure in football,” Cocker explained. “But you have to be hopeful. The teams that I chose, first of all, are teams that have disappointed me a few times in the past. So I said to myself, ‘Well, today, what am I going to do? I am going to back all the teams that have disappointed me whenever I see them on this fixture list, plus a few others.’ That was the exact bet I placed.”

Cocker placed a 5 New Leone stake on his multi-bet, leveraging Mercury International’s popular Mega and Long List bonus scheme, which awards a 100% odds bonus for predicting 15 correct selections. Interestingly, he almost won much more. Cocker usually places heavy stakes on straight wins and smaller stakes on first-half outcomes. One team’s draw on his straight-win ticket cost him a theoretical 100 million Leones, but his first-half ticket still pulled through to secure the massive NLe 692,000 prize.

“Mercury Lives By Its Word”

Mercury International’s Beresford Bons Coker 

Speaking on behalf of Mercury International, Mr. Beresford Bons Coker expressed great joy over the massive payout, emphasizing that large winnings validate the company’s transparency and commitment to the public.

“It shows that Mercury lives by its word,” Mr. Coker stated. “At Mercury, we are always happy when a player wins because it promotes the game, proves that we are number one, and also demonstrates that Mercury supports the young population.”

He further noted that regular payouts build deep customer confidence, which naturally helps the entire industry and government tax revenues grow. “The only way you achieve continuity is when people play, they win, and you pay them promptly,” he added.

Plans for the Future

Beresford Bons Coker congratulates the lucky winner during the check presentation

As a retiree with established investments, Cocker views the NLe 588,000 windfall as a comfortable addition to his retirement ease and a meaningful way to help his loved ones.

“My plan is just to relax at home every day. Whatever I want to eat, I eat, and I just enjoy my peace. That’s all,” Cocker said when asked about his immediate plans. He added that the windfall is too small to split into major new commercial ventures, choosing instead to secure it in a current account to live comfortably off the interest. However, he has clear intentions for his family: “I will use the money to support my family also, especially in supporting their education.”

Cocker remains a firm believer in the platform and has no intention of quitting his daily hobby.

“There is nothing fake about Mercury. My message is for people to continue playing Mercury because you only win if you play,” he smiled. “I’ll continue to play with my little stakes. It is simply part of my daily pastime.”

WRITTEN BY DAVIDNETTE VANDY