A political punter stands to gain nearly £1 million if Scotland votes No to independence.

The wealthy man from Surrey has already staked a record £600,000 on the outcome of the referendum at a branch in south-west London.

However, according to bookmakers William Hill, he has added a further £200,000 to his wager, and now stands to collect £973,333 in the event of a No vote.

Spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "This gentleman's stake of £600,000 was already a record for political betting, but his latest 'investment' as he calls it, takes his total wager up to £800,000 - the biggest amount ever gambled on the outcome of a political event."

The man staked his initial bet of £400,000 at odds of 1/4 in June 2014, followed it up with an addition £200,000 at odds of 1/6 at the beginning of August, then added a third instalment on Saturday at odds of 1/5.

Mr Sharpe added: "The client is a middle-aged gentleman who is not ­Scottish and does not have a vote in the referendum."