Betfred Big Winner: Former ice cream man scoops £48k on Irish Lotto

Michael Rossi has remarkably licked Betfred again with exactly the same bet.

The retired ice cream man from Yorkshire has scooped £48k after betting £6 that his favourite four numbers based around family birthdays would all be drawn on the Irish Lotto.

It's a carbon copy of a win he celebrated five months ago, also placed at his lucky Betfred shop at Peel Square in Barnsley.

Lottery Betting

So after picking up £96k in the space of half a year, Michael is off on holiday to Montenegro, Greece and Italy.

In Italy, Michael will be visiting the grave of his father Silvio who died in a village near Monte Cassino aged 50.

Silvio, who as a young boy used to go fishing with live grenades left behind by the Nazis after WWII, emigrated to England after the war.

He set up an ice cream round in Barnsley, later operated by Michael, which served 99 cones, ice lollies and the like for 50 years before a serious back injury in the gym forced Michael into retirement.

Lotto Results

Michael, 67 said: "I just had this feeling I'd win again if I kept the same numbers. It is amazing really and no one can believe how lucky I've been.

"When I used to bet on the horses I had this feeling it was going to be my day. I support Leeds United and Italy in football but never ever bet on them as I'd not want to put the mockers on them."

Betfred boss Fred Done said:

"It's astonishing that Michael, who has been a customer of ours for many years, has now won twice in five months with exactly the same bet.

"The way Leeds are going in the Championship he could soon be celebrating his own treble - and then it will be chocolate sundaes for all!"