A 78-YEAR-OLD great grandmother from Alton went to play bingo at Club 2000 in Basingstoke and hit the jackpot Ð scooping more than £111,000!
The lucky winner, who has asked not to be named, said she would use some of the money to pay for a hip operation for her daughter.
ÒShe canÕt get it done under the NHS because they say she is too young at 50,Ó she said. ÔIf I can give her ten years pain free, even if she needs it done again, then it will make me very happy.Ó
She also has two sons, ten grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. ÒI will look after my family, because they are all so good to me,Ó she said.
ÒMy daughter and her husband were playing bingo that evening at the Crown Club in Leigh Park. They heard the announcement that the National winner was at Basingstoke and my son-in-law said: ÒI bet thatÕs your mum.Ó They sent me a text message asking if it was, and jokingly saying not to forget them! I sent back the good news that it was me.Ó
She had won the National Bingo Game prize of £110,310, plus a further regional prize of £1,087 and the club prize of £116, having completed a Òfull houseÓ in 43 numbers, the fewest anywhere nationwide.
The woman, who sadly has been a widow since 1979, enjoys dancing as well as bingo. She plays twice a week at Club 2000, which she joined four years ago.
ÒI havenÕt had much sleep since the win. It was such a shock,Ó she said. ÒMy 19-year-old granddaughter works in banking and she will give me advice what to do with the money,Ó