Bingo winner

Now I’m looking forward to enjoying a really special birthday treat! By Jennifer Knight, 69, from Cramlington, Northumberland

A s the numbered ball popped up on Chat Mag Bingo, my heart raced. Just two more to go, I thought.

While I waited for the next number to be called, I tingled with anticipation.

That’s what I loved about Chat Mag Bingo. It was such fun, and so exciting to play.

Then my second to last number popped up. One more… Suddenly, there it was! Iõve won, I thought. A full house on the 90-ball Bingo in Sapphire – the £1,000 jackpot!

It was April last year, and this was my first big win on Chat Mag Bingo since spotting a promotional offer in a mag and signing up. I was over the moon! In the chat rooms, all my fellow roomies – the nickname we call ourselves – were congratulating me on my fantastic win.

But I decided not to tell my husband Ivor, 66, right away.

Instead, I waited for my big £1,000 cheque to arrive in the post so I could surprise him!

‘What’s that?’ he cried when it was delivered a few days later.

‘I had a win on the bingo,’ I grinned, flashing him the winning amount.

‘Wow,’ he smiled, laughing as I posed for a photo, holding up my cheque.

A month later, I had a £1,000 win on a spin while playing my fave slot game Tiki Island.

‘Another win?’ Ivor beamed, shaking his head in disbelief.

With grown-up kids, 10 grandkids and two great grandkids, Ivor and I often had a houseful!

And we loved spoiling them, especially all the littl’uns.

I’d always have their favourite pop and sweets, and they all knew where Ivor kept his chocolate!

After a day of visitors, I often enjoyed relaxing with a game of online bingo. It’s great to be able to enjoy my fave hobby from the comfort of my own home.

I had some fantastic smaller wins, too, on Sapphire and Tiki Island

Then, in February, I’d been out with my daughter, 45, and a friend for lunch, then had some of the grandkids round.

‘I’m going to relax and play

i treated myself, booked a holiday!

a bit of bingo,’ I told Ivor after everyone had left.

So I bought some 10p tickets for Sapphire, and then went to make myself a cuppa.

When I got back, the bingo game had just started.

As the numbers were called out and automatically dabbed off my tickets, I was having a natter in the chat rooms.

Not many of my numbers came up at first. Then, suddenly, they were flashing on the screen, one after another.

When my last one came up… ‘I’ve won!’ I called to Ivor, whooping aloud. ‘Again?!’ he cried in disbelief. I’d won the link game, and the jackpot of £1,250! ‘The biggest yet,’ I beamed. I was so thrilled, posing for another snap with my second giant cheque. And I knew just what to spend it on...

So far, I’d bought a new cooker and washer with my other bingo wins.

This time, my 70th birthday’s coming up – my daughter’s throwing a party and my granddaughter’s baking a cake.

So I treated myself, booking a lovely summer holiday!

My daughter, myself and a friend jet off to Spain soon, and I really can’t wait.

And Ivor and I are going on a nice, five-day coach trip together, too, as he doesn’t like travelling abroad.

My grandson gets married in September, and we’ve got another great-grandkid on the way. So there are exciting times ahead.

And, when I’m lapping up the Spanish sunshine, I’ll raise a toast to Chat Mag Bingo!