OXFORD student Ed Sheldon was walking on air after winning £40,000 on a roulette wheel in Australia.

Ed's great adventure began when he bought a vodka and coke in the Chequers Inn off High Street and won a trip Down Under.

The second-year history student flew to the Gold Coast in Queensland with pal Ben Smith and rounded off his competition prize with a huge bet at the exclusive Jupiters Casino.

The Corpus Christi student said: "As I sat at the table the adrenalin was really pumping. The majority of my friends had chosen black so the decision was made for me - I put the chips on black.

"Once the wheel started spinning I was overwhelmed with both fear and excitement. I can't believe that I actually won 100,000 Australian dollars - my mind is still spinning with ideas of what I am going to spend the money on."

The $50,000 stake for the one-off bet on the roulette wheel was the culmination of the stunning prize from vodka firm Smirnoff.

During the most thrilling week of his life, 22-year-old Ed also took part in a tandem sky-dive and abseiled from the top of a 36-storey building. But the highlight came with the big bet. The gamble on black instead of red offered Ed an even chance to win - and he walked away with double his original stake money, a total of about £40,000 sterling.

"Even if I had lost the bet I know that I would have experienced the thrill of a lifetime but winning the bet made it even more amazing."

Once he finishes his degree, Ed hopes to embark on a career as a TV producer.

Smirnoff spokesman Beverly Broszley said: "Ed was shaking when he won. The win means he will no longer have to rely on his student grant.

"We have told him to continue with his studies and take his parents out for a meal to thank them for all their help over the years.

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