A Wigan grandmother wins life-changing £50k at bingo after deciding to play on a whim
A last-minute change of plans saw a Wigan pensioner land a whopping sum on the bingo
A 79-year-old Wigan great-grandmother is celebrating an amazing £50k bingo win after an unexpected visit to her local club.
Widow Doreen Caulfield is a regular at Club 3000 Bingo at Robin Park, but under normal circumstances doesn’t usually attend on Wednesdays.
But on October 7 she made a last-minute decision to go following her regular swimming session, having been tempted by a half-price game offer.
Having previously won no more than £1,000 whilst playing, she could hardly believe her luck when her numbers came up. In fact, she initially had no idea just how much she had won.
At first, she thought she had simply won the club’s in-house prize and was perfectly happy with that. It was only when fellow players began cheering and congratulating her that she realised something extraordinary had happened.
The excitement proved too much for Doreen. She said: “I did not sleep a wink that night.
“I love coming to the club every week to play and catch up with all the wonderful friends I have made at the club.
“I come by myself but I always sit with my regular group of bingo friends, the social side of the game is just as important as the chance of winning. Bingo also runs in my family, as my mother loved coming to bingo.”
As for the £50,000 windfall, Doreen is taking a sensible approach. Having already completed her Christmas shopping, she intends to put the money safely in the bank for now, although she may treat her children to something special at Christmas.
Lisa Kinnaird manager of Club 3000 Bingo Wigan said: “We’re delighted that Doreen, one of our regular players, has won £50,000.
“It’s been a lucky year for Wigan as we had three winners for the special National Bingo Game during National Bingo week too. Everyone was thrilled for Doreen.
“Her story shows that bingo isn’t just about winning prizes, but also about meeting people, making friends and enjoying yourself”
Club 3000 Bingo Wigan welcomes both regular players and newcomers, offering a friendly atmosphere, opportunities to socialise and the chance to win prizes.
And as Doreen has discovered, sometimes an unplanned visit can turn out to be a very lucky decision indeed.
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