The Game: WA’s top tipper Jason Page ‘gobsmacked’ after claiming $50,000 jackpot thanks to perfect final round

Albany’s Jason Page entered The Game footy tipping competition for a bit of fun and in the hope of picking up a weekly prize — not thinking he’d walk away $50,000 richer.

The avid footy fan finished with 156 correct tips across the AFL home-and-away season on The West’s tipping platform to beat two close rivals by a single tip and take home the $50,000 payday.

Trailing the leader by three heading into the final round the 52-year-old said he went for broke and landed a perfect nine tips.

That score was enough to end up on top of more than 45,000 footy fans vying for a total prize pool of more than $150,000.

It led to a few nervous hours for Mr Page as he checked the final leaderboard and waited for the call to say he had won the top footy tipping prize.

“I’ve done it for about three or four years and the reason I like it is its free and easy to use,” he said.

“I mainly go in it for the weekly prize of $1000.

“In the last round, I got nine but I still didn’t know if I had got it because I went in three behind the leader.

“I was working nightshift so I checked later on the internet and it had me as first but I hadn’t received anything so I thought maybe I hadn’t won.

“It was pretty nervous times and they didn’t ring me until the next afternoon.

“I’m still gobsmacked.”

The passionate Hawthorn supporter said he began to take his tipping more seriously after a strong first few weeks.

“Last year I got into the top 100,” Mr Page said.

“I realised after about six or seven rounds that I was seventh and I decided to take it a bit more seriously and studied grounds and how teams go there.

“My goal was to stay in the top 50 but I had a really bad round when the Eagles won and I got three.

“I dropped to 62nd and thought I was done, played it safe for the next two rounds and got back to 31st.

“I still gave myself no chance and thought I’d go for broke in the last two rounds and tip teams others won’t.

“I got seven in the second last round that bumped me up to 12th.

“In the final round I went for North Melbourne in Tassie, they won so I changed my Eagles tip back to Adelaide and the rest is history.

“I went with GWS and Melbourne and on Sunday I didn’t turn the telly on, I couldn’t bring myself to watch but I kept an eye on the scores on my phone.”

The winnings, courtesy of TABtouch, have helped the Page family purchase some solar panels for their home.

“We have pretty much banked it and ordered some solar panels for the house,” he said.

“I’ve never seen that amount of money in my savings account before so I’m pretty happy.

“I will probably not get close again, I was lucky so I’ll take it while I can.”

For those looking for a prediction of who will win the grand final, Mr Page believes Collingwood’s style of football will see them secure premiership glory.

The father of four had simple advice for tipsters out there.

“I reckon the first five or six rounds are vital, if you score high in those you are in with a chance,” he said.

“When you look at the tips and think it will be close, go with your head, not your heart.

“It was hard to tip Freo against my Hawks in the final round but I had to.

“This is just a really good competition and very well run.”

The winner of the Mazda BT-50 valued at more than $70,000 was Llanelle Wyse after being drawn out from the 24 weekly finalists.

Joan Whiteland was the early bird prize winner of $10,000 from Thirsty Camel and 24 people received $1000, also thanks to Thirsty Camel for being the weekly top tippers.

Another massive prize pool will be up for grabs in The Game’s cricket tipping competition, with the Big Bash League season kicking off on December 7.