Tennis: Federer can deliver on dead man's bet

Roger Federer is one Wimbledon title away from delivering a $200,000 payday based on a wager made by a gambler who has since died.

In 2003, Nick Newlife, of Oxford, placed a bet of $3032 with British gambling outfit William Hill on the Swiss ace winning seven Wimbledon titles before the year 2019. He got odds of 66/1.

Newlife died in February 2009, aged 59, but had arranged in his will for the the bet to be left to the charity Oxfam.

Oxfam will collect $203,169 if Federer wins this year or before 2019.

At the time Newlife made the bet Federer had just won his very first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "Federer has returned to top form in recent tournaments, losing only to Rafael Nadal in last week's French Open and he is a leading contender for this year's tournament.

"Nadal is 2/1 favourite, but Federer is 5/2 second favourite and he could yet prove a literal dead cert for Mr Newlife and Oxfam."

Stuart Fowkes, from Oxfam, said: "Legacies amount to 10 per cent of our total income from individuals, so they're essential to us."