How Did Gloucester Cabbie Take Shortcut To £24.5 Million Lotto Win?

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A taxi driver from Gloucester has decided to hang up his car keys and enjoy life in the slow lane of retirement after winning a Lotto prize of £24.5 million. Amo Riselli, a 50-year-old father of five, became the game’s biggest winner of 2017 when he landed the gigantic sum on Wednesday 30th December, a feat which was all the more remarkable because he did not even have to match all six main numbers.

How it happened

The Lotto jackpot passed its cap of £22 million in the pre-Christmas draw on Saturday 23rd December and, as such, the top prize had to be won the following Wednesday. As nobody matched all six main numbers, the money rolled down to the next prize tier in which there were winners. Amo Riselli was the only player to match five main numbers plus the Bonus Ball, so he did not have to share the prize with anyone else.

Where did he keep the ticket?

Amo bought his ticket from Seymoor Road Post Office in Gloucester, before stashing it in his glove compartment. It stayed there for two days before he realised his success, and he then decided to entrust his mother with the ticket until he was ready to come forward. Mrs Riselli kept it in a glass jar in a cupboard and checked on it whenever she walked past.

Vegas and Ferraris

Presented with his cheque at a media ceremony on Wednesday morning, Amo revealed what he plans to do with the eight-figure sum. He has already decided to give up his job, ‘just because now I can’, and is looking forward to treating his friends and family. He also wants to buy a Ferrari, go on holiday to Las Vegas and move house, preferably to a four-bedroom home with a swimming pool in the Gloucester area.

However, there is one thing that Amo does not intend to do again: “I'm not going to play the lottery any more, as I've already conquered that 'big win' - it is someone else's turn now. I may now be a multimillionaire but I am still the same normal person I always was, just with a bit more loose change in my pocket."

Big Winners in 2018

Amo was one of 358 millionaires created by the National Lottery in 2017, and more big winners are guaranteed at the start of the New Year. If you want to try and emulate Amo’s success on Lotto, you can take part at the Lottery Tickets page. Good luck!