Bet placed 10 months ago on All Blacks-Lions series draw pays off for punter

A lucky punter who predicted the test series between the All Blacks and the Lions would end in a draw - 10 months ago - had collected a cool $19,500 payout.

Saturday night's third test between the two sides was drawn 15-all, and with both teams securing a win each the series was also declared a stalemate.

Although the result was a surprise to most fans, one perceptive punter saw it coming 10 months ago.

They waged $750 - at 26-1 odds for a drawn series - on September 8 last year. That $750 turned into $19,500 as the final whistle blew in controversial circumstances at Auckland's Eden Park.

TAB spokeswoman Kate Richards told the Herald there were 4000 bets on a drawn test series, a test series score of 1-1 or a full-time draw in the final test match.

"Most of these came on the books for the third test - rather than the series books," she said.

The 10-month old bet on a series draw was the biggest win on either the third test or entire series ending in a tie.

Richards said the biggest single winning bet placed during the series was on the All Blacks to win by 13 plus in the first test. The home side emerged victorious 30-15 and the bet netted $172,000.

A cheeky bet on an unlikely first try scorer also scored big for one gambler.

All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor scores a try during the 1st test match between the All Blacks and the British & Irish Lions. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Someone placed a $4500 on All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor to be the first try scorer at 26 to 1 odds.

One lucky punter had $4,500 on Codie Taylor for 1st Try Scorer @ $26. That's a $117K return for them! #NZLvBIL #LionsNZ2017

— TAB NZ (@TAB_NZL) June 24, 2017

When Taylor scooped up a low pass and dove over in the corner, the brave punter made a whopping return of $117,000.