A terminally ill cancer patient is set to win £5,000 for the second time after betting that he would stay alive.

Jon Matthews, 59, staked £100 at odds of 50/1 that he would remain alive until June 1.

He has already received one £5,000 windfall, having laid the same bet last year. He plans to give the money to charity.

Mr Matthews, from Milton Keynes, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos, in April 2006 and was warned by doctors he could be dead within months.

The prognosis inspired him to place the first bet with bookmakers William Hill that he would still be alive on June 1 2008.

After accepting the winnings last year he placed the same bet and on Monday stands to collect a further £5,000.

Mr Matthews has made one further wager, placing £100 at odds of 100/1 that he will survive until June 1 next year, that could net him £10,000.

He said: “I think I’m the first person in the world to bet on my own life.”

“I wasn’t that fussed because everyone has to die some time. But the interesting thing for me was how long it would take, would it take weeks or years.”

Mr Matthews plans to split his winnings between a number of good causes, including cancer charity Macmillan.

“I know I’m going to die eventually and I have no real need for money, so it will mostly go to worthy causes,” he said.

Graham Sharpe, spokesman for William Hill, said: “We had never been asked to accept a bet of this nature before, but as Jon approached us directly and was adamant that it would give him an additional incentive to battle his illness, we offered him the bets he wanted."

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