Lucky Bingo Winner Scoops £20,000 with £1 Card
One lucky woman managed to nab the £20,000 jackpot at Gala Bingo in Clacton with a single £1 ticket.
Although it was initially thought she had won a considerably smaller prize of £35, bingo caller Stephen Archer realised that the lucky player had called full house in less than 40 calls – which meant she’d won the £20,000 jackpot too.
Deputy manager Jean Taylor said: “She had a bit of a meltdown to be honest, bless her. She’s a regular and comes in every day. She was absolutely shaking. She went pale and looked like she was going to faint. We bought her a triple Malibu and coke and a bottle of champagne.”
The bingo player, who lives in Clacton, is unemployed and regularly attends the club with her mum.
“She was hyperventilating so we had to get her breathing properly. She was saying ‘Oh my god – I’ve got to keep playing’ but she couldn’t even hold her dabber in her hand because she was shaking so much. It was amazing to watch. It quite a sight.”
Jean continued: “As soon as we heard what had happened over the speaker all the managers ran into the hall and made a big fuss of her. Her mother was as cool as a cucumber. She looked like she was going to pass out but she kept on playing. She’s a real die-hard bingo player. We’ve had some big wins here before. I don’t know if this is the biggest but it’s the largest we’ve had since I started here almost two years ago.
“It’s like a little bingo family here and everyone knows everyone else. I feel like I’ve won it with her – it’s an amazing feeling. We are really pleased for her and just want to shout it from the rooftops.”
The winner is getting married later this year, and is planning to use the prize money to contribute towards the wedding costs.
Information and Image Source: Clacton and Frinton Gazette
