Fighting on: Terry O'Callaghan is still chasing Coral over the winnings

Builder Terry O'Callaghan, 59, had argued that new human rights' laws should give him the chance of another hearing in open court over the footballing "bet of a lifetime".

The case has already cost him his marriage and left him facing legal costs of �56,000.

But Mr O'Callaghan, from Heath, Cardiff, has pledged to fight on to win the �259,200 he says he is owed for winning a four-match accumulator.

Judge Hywel Moseley - sitting at Cardiff County Court - turned down Mr O'Callaghan's bid for a hearing and also awarded interim costs of �10,000 against him in the soccer saga.

Coral refused to pay out after Mr O'Callaghan gambled a �54.40 stake on a series of soccer matches.

The bookies should have to honour their obligations and not make their own arbitrary rules Ian Glen QC

He claims to have predicted Aberdeen beating Barry Town 3-1 at 11 to 1, Newcastle beating Halmstad 4-0 at 11-1, Colchester beating Brighton 2-0 at 8 to 1 and Scarborough beating Doncaster 2-1 at seven to one.

But the firm said the betting shop manager, who has since lost his job, did not take the usual photographic record of the betting slip.

Initially, Mr O'Callaghan's claim was put to an independent arbiter from the Sporting Life.

But the examiner found for Coral because the betting slip was not validated properly - so Mr O'Callaghan took his fight to the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Both courts ruled against him because there is no provision under the 1845 Gaming Act for betting wrangles to be taken to court.

Legal tactic: A human rights bid was rejected by the judge

The action at Cardiff County Court on Wednesday was aimed at bringing the 158-year-old Act under the power of human rights' legislation.

His barrister Ian Glen QC told the court: "The bookies should have to honour their obligations and not make their own arbitrary rules."

Mr O'Callaghan said later: "I am considering appealing against this decision because I am fighting for every small punter in the country.

"I have not been given a hearing in court and I am determined to achieve that."

"I did everything properly - I filled in the betting slip and handed over my money just like any other customer," he added.

The legal wrangle has also cost Mr O'Callaghan's his 19-year marriage to his wife, Penny - the couple split up under the strain of his fight against Coral.