Although La Stampa did not reveal his name, he told the newspaper that after some “cautious” celebration in the shop, he worked out a way of breaking the news to his wife, fearing she would scold him for betting.

“The screen lit up and told me I had won; I could not restrain a cry of joy,”  he said.

“Even now, I can’t believe it…I’m not a fan of these machines, but every now and then you try your luck.”

Marco Discepolo, the betting shop manager, said he hopes the jackpot winner remembers him too. “We have no right to a percentage [of the winnings], but in any case, I’m happy. The money has gone to a good man.”