Dream come true: Lucky patron lands trip to LA

Matthew Cogliandro could not believe his good fortune at Saturday night’s Sportsbet Topgun meeting at The Meadows.

Cogliandro was the first winner in the Chase Your Dream promotion, in which over $100,000 in cash and prizes is being given away to people attending greyhound racing’s Sportsbet Dream Chasers Festival at The Meadows and Sandown Park during November and December.

The plumber from Hadfield won a sporting experience in Las Vegas for two, including flights, accommodation, spending money and tickets to watch NBA heavyweight the LA Lakers v Denver Nuggets, as well as hockey match between the LA Kings v New Jersey.

Cogliandro is particularly excited about going to the basketball in what will be his first trip to the U.S.

“I just so happens that the Nuggets are my NBA team so I can’t wait to watch them take on the Lakers. And it will be awesome to see LeBron James play before he retires,” Cogliandro said.

“Me and the boys were jumping for joy when the number two dog won. When my name was drawn and I was given number two, we all decided to back him as well, so we were so happy when he won.”

“Then to win the holiday as well… it was unbelievable.”

Cogliandro was one of eight lucky patrons on course at the Topgun that were drawn and allocated a greyhound in Race 9 as part of the Chase Your Dream promotion.

As the second person drawn, Cogliandro was allocated the number two dog, Weblec Wolf, and when his greyhound was first across the line,  he got to choose a box to reveal his prize.

He decided to stick with the number two box, and it paid off big time with the sporting experience for two in LA now in his safe keeping.

Be on course at any of the remaining Dream Chasers events and scan the QR code at the Sportsbet tent for your chance to win in the Chase Your Dream promotion.