Gambling helps obese man to reduce weight

An overweight man has lost 100lb in weight due to taking part in a bet. Peter Heeks, a 26-year-old call centre worker from Darwe, Lancashire, won a bet with bookmakers William Hill for GBP10,000 that has left him both thinner and wealthier. His healthier lifestyle also means he is at less risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes.
Heeks, who admits losing a few pounds to the bookies over the years, said his latest attempt to lose weight by betting that he could offload 100lb of extra weight within a year has proved a big success.
The bet, of GBP100 at odds of 100-1 that he could lose 100lb in a year, saw him drop to 13st 5lb from 21st 1lb, and in the process reduce his waistline to only 36 inches from a previous 50 inches. His successful diet centred on giving up alcohol and pizzas, and eating more chicken and fish with vegetables .
Heeks commented “I don’t think they’ll give anyone else 100-1 to lose 100lb but it worked wonders for me.”
He added “They hadn’t had anyone wanting a bet on themselves to lose so much, so they gave me a big price. If they kept the odds out there they’d be doing the nation a favour. It would be a great incentive to beat the obesity time bomb.”