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Beginner’s Luck Strikes! First-Time Mecca Bingo Player Hits £50,000 Jackpot
23 April 2025: A bingo novice has walked away with an amazing £50,000 at Mecca Bingo this month.
The lucky winner from Surrey, scooped the jackpot on Sunday 6th April, playing on the National Bingo Game at the Mecca Bingo in the Centrale Shopping Centre, Croydon. Incredibly the winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, had only joined the club that evening and was playing his first ever game when he hit the jackpot!
Image: Mecca’s duty manager, Natalie McCartney, helped the stunned winner claim his £50,000 prize
The fabulous £50k is triggered when a player matches all the numbers on their ticket and claims a ‘full house’ within the first 16 numbers being called.
Mecca’s Altex Gibson, who was the caller on the game, explained; “Initially the player thought that they had made a mistake and told me to carry on calling, but when I asked to check the ticket, I could see he had hit the jackpot! “He was happy when he thought he’d won the regular full house prize, but when I told him that he’d also triggered the £50,000 jackpot he just couldn’t believe it. I went over and shook his hand. He was so stunned, he said, ‘You just can’t top this!’.”
It's understood that the winner is in their 30s and was with a family member, who had also won on their initial visit to the club, and had encouraged him to join.
Natalie McCartney, was the duty manager on the night, and commented on the win: “The winner thought that he had made a ‘false call’ but Altex insisted on checking the ticket. The whole club was on tenterhooks and when Altex confirmed the win everyone started clapping and cheering. The winner had no idea that you could win so much at Mecca!
Both Natalie and Altex have worked at Mecca for twenty years. Natalie said; “I love moments like this when we give someone a big money prize. We had another £50,000 winner in January* and it really feels like Croydon is a lucky club.”
Altex added; “I’ve had loads of memorable moments at Mecca, there’s always something nice happening here. We’re always excited for our winners but to win the £50k National Bingo Game jackpot on your very first game is a real cause for celebration!”
The lucky customer is the eleventh Mecca player nationwide to scoop the jackpot in 2025 and the fourth £50,000 winner that Altex has announced since he started working at the club. To find out more about Mecca Croydon, including sessions, menus and upcoming events, visit www.meccabingo.com/bingo-clubs/croydon.
The National Bingo Game is played across the UK and offers players the chance to win Jackpot Prizes of up to £50,000 as well a club prize on every game. The National Bingo Game is played twice a day, every day, 364 days a year at all Mecca Clubs.
