Don't Bet on 53, Italians Told

The Italian government has urged punters to exercise restraint in state lotteries after a series of family tragedies linked to obsessive betting on the number 53 in the Venice draw.

The economy minister, Domenico Siniscalco, the main beneficiary of strong lottery profits, appealed for people to bet "with brains, and a sense of moderation and limitation".

Numbers in the state lottery are drawn twice a week at 10 locations around the country, including Venice, and punters bet on which numbers or combinations of numbers will come up in each place.

The number 53 has failed to be drawn in Venice 178 times. Feeling it is long overdue, some punters have bet fortunes on it showing up. In the past six months, more than €4.17bn (£2.88bn) has been blown on "Venice 53".

Last week, it was reported that a retired insurance clerk, who killed himself and his wife and son, had lost €10,000 on Venice 53.

He left €25,000 debts which many think resulted from the lottery.