Lucky numbers measure up to big lotto win

The 52-year-old truck driver, who asked not to be named, placed a £5 bet on the Irish Lotto with the important numbers 33,36,39,42 and 45.

The lucky winner, said the money, nine times his yearly wage, would go towards home renovations, a new car and holiday.

But added he would not be giving up on the day job at a Lancashire timber yard, moving wood for delivery

He said: "The numbers are metric measurements with 3.3 metres almost 11ft, 3.6 being nearly 12ft, 3.9 close to 13ft, 4.2 almost 14ft and 4.5m close to 15ft.

"I work with these numbers all the time and just thought I'd use them in national lottery 10 years or so ago and then the Littlewoods lottery. I kept with them over the last 12 months when I started going on the Irish lottery instead at Betfred.

"I didn't check the numbers on the draw until a few days later. I couldn't believe it. I thought I'd got four up at first, not five. I was working at the timber yard as usual that evening, so didn't have time to celebrate. But I'll be having a few drinks at the weekend."

He won £150,000 from a £1 bet when all five numbers that he selected came up and £9,000 on four separate £1 bets matching four of his lucky numbers.

The winning bets left him with a total of £186,000, one of the biggest cash prizes ever won at Betfred on any of the 11 lotteries.

The winner added: “I've got a mid terraced house here in Chorley, in fact I've been in it all my 52 years. I bought it off my Dad, who's since passed away, in 1991 for £60.

"It needs a new bathroom and the front room needs redoing as well. I'll use some of my winnings on that. All the work can be speeded up now I've won the money.

“I will be getting myself a new car, a nice Ford Focus. But as for giving up my job? You must be joking! I love my job.

"It hasn't even crossed my mind to stop working

As well as the car and the jobs at home I'll be going on holiday to where I normally go - Galway and County Kerry in Ireland.”