Major cash boost for punters after betting firm's shock early Ryder Cup payout as bookies hit with €1m payout

PUNTERS have hit bookies Paddy Power for over €1 million in a double sporting triumph.

The betting firm decided to pay out on Europe to win the Ryder Cup after the Yanks got spanked 4-0 in the morning foursomes.

The bookie saw no way back for America even with the afternoon fourballs and two days of golf still to come.

So they began paying out on all single Europe To Win bets online and in their betting shops by lunchtime. The move cost Paddy Power six figures.

But the bookies also admitted they were hit for a very high six-figure sum when Ireland beat South Africa at the World Cup in Paris last Saturday night.

It is understood the two payouts collectively cost the firm over €1million.

Paddy Power spokesperson Rachael Kane said: “We have paid out on all bets placed on Europe as winners of the Ryder Cup.

"The boys in blue made history by winning every match in the morning session. It’s been 31 years since America has won on European soil.

"After this morning’s performance, Paddy’s traders are backing Luke Donald’s team to go all the way, paying out on all outright bets placed by punters both online and in the shops."

But there is a precedent for Paddy Power getting it wrong, which they did with the 2016 US Presidential election result.

Ms Kane added: "The last time we did something of this scale it involved paying out on Hillary Clinton as the next US President and it bit us in the bunker.

"Here’s hoping Zach Johnson’s US team doesn’t come up Trumps before the weekend is out."

Thousands of punters have backed Europe to win and the bookie said the payout will cost it a "bulky six figure sum".