Listen to this article:When Wendy’s husband Paul suggested they go out for a night of bingo to celebrate Valentine’s Day, she was not best pleased. However, her disappointment soon turned to delight when the couple won a bingo jackpot worth £50,000.
Recently, we introduced the latest online bingo promotions across most online bingo sites, but Wendy and Paul decided to spend their evening at the Mecca Bingo Club in Wednesbury instead—and it turned out to be a life-changing decision.
Wendy, 61, admits to having hoped for a more romantic evening, but the outcome of their bingo trip has left her speechless.
Thirteen years ago, Paul suffered a stroke, and since then, Wendy has been his full-time carer. In her words, the stroke has resulted in them living “a life of struggle”. However, now the pair feel as if things are finally going their way.
In a nice coincidence, the couple have been married for 34 years and it was also Wendy’s last winning number. As a result of the windfall, they are finally able to afford their long-dreamed Caribbean cruise.
In an interview with BBC Radio WM, Wendy explained that she used to take her mother-in-law to play bingo every week, but they have been unable to attend in the last few years. She added, “Bingo is in the blood. We hadn’t been in such a long time but the atmosphere was absolutely lovely. I was expecting something a bit more romantic to be fair, but when I got inside, I wasn’t disappointed.”
Wendy and Paul were playing the National Bingo Game and the couple won the bingo jackpot after Wendy successfully marked all the numbers on her ticket within the first 16 calls.
After she marked the final number, 34, the caller came over to check Wendy’s ticket, but she said that at that point, she hadn’t realised how much she had won.
Recalling the moment, Wendy said:
“For the first time in my 61 years on the planet, I couldn’t speak – which is rare for me. It still hasn’t sunk in. We’re working-class people, we’ve always worked hard, and Paul had a stroke at such a young age which was devastating. Life was a struggle. But I feel somebody somewhere has given me luck and has repaid us somehow for being good people. I feel honoured.”
She said that it took a long time for the win to sink in and that the two of them drove home from the bingo club in silence.
Wendy added:
“As my numbers kept getting called out, I started feeling hot. When they called 34, I shot my hand up and did a little jig. With everyone cheering, I thought, ‘What’s all the fuss?’. The caller had to repeat how much I’d won because I just couldn’t believe it. My husband and I had a real moment – he started crying, and I started shaking. We’ve been through so much, and this means we can finally do the things we’ve always dreamed of.”
The couple said that they have been saving money with the aim of going on a dream cruise in 2027, but with the winnings, they expect to be able to go much sooner.
Beckie Toovey, assistant manager at Mecca Bingo, was working the night of the win, and she said:
“Wendy was in complete shock and everyone kept going up to congratulate her and her husband. It was amazing to watch such a wonderful couple get such a big win and it’s great for customers to see that big wins really do happen!”
The Mecca Bingo Club on Dudley Street in Wednesbury is open seven days a week until midnight. In addition to bingo, visitors can enjoy slot machines, a licensed bar, a food menu, and take advantage of on-site parking.
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