Roger FedererAdam Davy/PA Wire/Press Association Images

The nation was collectively holding its head in its hands yesterday, when Andy Murray was resoundingly beaten by Roger Federer in the Wimbledon Men's Singles final. But while we were learning to live with 70 odd years of hurt, there was a silver lining for Oxfam.

One punter had put a bet on Federer almost a decade ago. He died in 2009 but left the betting slip to Oxfam in his will.

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Oxfam's win

Nick Newlife, from Oxfordshire, had placed a bet in 2003. He said that Roger Federer would win seven Wimbledon tennis finals before 2020, and put down a bet with William Hill of £1,520 at odds of 66/1. It means the charity stands to gain £101,840.

The win was never a foregone conclusion. The 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 result belied a hard-fought battle, which leaves them each having won exactly half of their encounters over the years. Federer was hardly favoured going into the tournament. Mind you, it means that Murray has lost 5 grand slam finals, and Federer has won 17 - so they're not that evenly matched.

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Legacies

This isn't the first time that the charity has benefited from Newlife's faith in Federer. It received £16,750 in 2009 when he won his bet that Federer would win 14 grand small titles before 2020. He got odds of 66/1 on that too.

Legacies (people leaving gifts in their wills) are extremely important to all charities - including Oxfam and, as Newlife shows, they can come in all shapes and sizes. Oxfam says that it benefits from the generosity of around 600 legacies a year - that's £13 million, or 10% of its total income.

A spokesman added: "Every time someone leaves a gift in their will, whether it's a few pounds or a few thousand pounds, it helps make a difference to millions of lives around the world. For example, £500 could provide twenty basic latrines, such as those Oxfam sent after the Haiti earthquake. And £3,700 could equip an entire special needs school with teaching and learning aids."

It has had some odd legacies too, including a pair of gold teeth and a dentist's chair from a former dentist, the royalties from a number of books and plays, including Doctor Finlay's Casebook, which was on TV from 1962 to 1971.

It also received a letter written by Florence Nightingale, which was sold for several hundred pounds at auction, several racing greyhounds and shares in the original Woolwich Arsenal Football Club. The shares had been overlooked in 1920 and were traced through four subsequent estates. When they were finally sold in 2009, each share was worth £6,965.

If Newlife has convinced us to leave a legacy, then his luck will have a profoud and long-lasting impact. However, there will be those who will just be prompted to have a bet instead.

Betting

The books have opened on the 2013 Men's winner already. Bluesquare has Novak Djokovic the favourite at 9/4, followed by Federer at 11/4, Rafael Nadal at 3/1 and Murray at 11/2.

Of course, there's a long way to go before then, and there's always the Olympic tennis to look forward to in a fortnight. Plus there's the really big contest - BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. Murray is fourth favourite for this title too, after Bradley Wiggins at 3/1, Jessica Ennis at 3/1, and Mo Farah at 6/1.

Of course, as ever, betting is only for those who really can afford to lose their stake. However, if you've got the cash to spare, you could always look further down the list to John Terry, David Beckham or Steven Gerard at 100/1.

Because if you're a follower of English football, then the chances are you'll be well practiced in the art of facing disappointment on the night.

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