Bingo payday for woman from South Shields
27th August, 2008
All the excitement couldn’t be contained at the local Mecca Bingo hall for a 77 year old woman from South Shields, who decided not to be named, after she hit the jackpot while playing a national bingo game.
She found herself in a complete state of shock when she found out that she had actually won the national bingo jackpot and was awarded more than £28,000 for her good fortune. The staff at Mecca Bingo had to come to her aid because she simply became almost hysterical after they broke the news to her.
“I was wobbly and my hands were shaking when I won,” the lucky lady said. “Staff at Mecca Bingo got me a drink to calm me down and somebody had to telephone my son to ask him to come and take me home. I used to play twice a week but after my husband died I went more often. It helped a lot. The nights are long if you’re sitting in on your own but when I play bingo I can go and have a chat with friends and feel better.”
The lucky woman hit the jackpot after hitting bingo in 43 numbers, which happened to be the fewest numbers of all the participating bingo halls throughout the country. The national jackpot paid out £26,095, while the regional prize was worth £2,518. In addition to the £48 in-house prize, her total winnings for the night was £28,661.
It was reported that the lucky winner plays at the local Mecca Bingo hall four times a week on average and has been a member since the place first opened.
The game of bingo has become a popular past time for many people in the UK, more than 3 million people in the UK play bingo on a regular basis. Many people speculate that the social aspect of the game is what draws in such large numbers, but it could have something to do with the huge jackpot payouts.
