Two big wins at Ayr’s Mecca Bingo Club

A 77-year-old woman is celebrating after winning £25,000 playing bingo!

The lucky winner, who does not want to be named, was at the Mecca Bingo Club in Boswell Park, Ayr, last Thursday evening, 31 May when good fortune struck.

She shared the National Game prize of £50,000, having completed a full house in 44 numbers, the lowest call in any of the 500 clubs playing nationwide. The other winner was playing at a club in Doncaster and they will receive £25,000 each.

The woman, who lives locally to the Club, has been a regular bingo player for many years.

Normally she plays in the afternoon, but had decided to visit the Mecca that night with her three sisters-in-law to check out the evening game and for something different to do.

Mecca manager, Gordon Shennan said she was very shocked when she found out how much she had won and that he did his best to keep her calm.

“She was very excited, as were the other ladies, at her win and none of them could quite believe it,” he added. “The winner said that she would be splitting the money with her sisters-in-law and using some to go on holiday.”

Lady Luck stayed on at the Mecca Club, as on Sunday afternoon (3 June), a 73-year-old great grandmother from Patna won £10,000 on the Afternoon Delight National Game.

The National prize that afternoon was £20,000 but she had to share with a player in north London, who also completed a full house in 48 numbers, the lowest call in any of the 500 clubs playing nationwide.

The winner, a widow who also wants to remain anonymous, plays twice a day every day at the Mecca Club, where she has been a member since 1958.

“It was lovely to win after playing for so many years,” she said, “I’ve had some health problems recently so this win has been a real boost for me. It’s hard to believe though. When I woke up the next day I wondered if it had all been a dream!”

The woman has four children, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild and she says her family were ‘overjoyed’ at her win.

She intends to put the money towards the cost of a new kitchen and go on a holiday with her oldest daughter.