Hugo Rodallega scored a late goal to keep Wigan in the Premier League next season with a 1-0 victory at Stoke.
The Colombia striker headed in a cross from Mohamed Diame in the 78th minute at the Britannia Stadium.
Wigan started the day second from bottom but stayed up after both Blackpool and Birmingham lost their matches to Manchester United and Tottenham respectively and were relegated.
FA Cup runner-up Stoke finished 13th with 46 points from 38 games.
Rodallega met Diame's pass to flick the winner past Asmir Begovic and spark wild scenes in front of the visiting supporters in the South Stand.
Just five minutes earlier news filtered through of a goal at Old Trafford which lifted Wigan out of the bottom three for the first time.
The visitors' dramatic survival was in sharp contrast to a dismal first half display, with Wigan looking nervy from the first minute when Ali Al-Habsi had to save from Kenwyne Jones.
Stoke pushed for an equaliser with Glenn Whelan floating a free-kick inches over Al-Habsi's bar.
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez hailed his side's great escape from relegation, declaring after the Latics' 1-0 win at Stoke: ''It's like winning a trophy.''
