Two sisters from Peel are celebrating after both landed a windfall at Palace Bingo – within minutes of each other.
Susan Williamson and Diane Christian regularly enjoy a Friday night at the bingo at the Best Western Palace Hotel & Casino, but neither had ever won a major prize before.
That all changed last month, when Diane proved to be a dab hand with her dabber to win the ?500 jackpot, with Susan following her lead by landing a special ?1,200 holiday in the very next game.
Diane explained: ‘To win the jackpot, you need to fill your card and call house within the first 50 numbers – I did it on ball 47. Only the week before I’d needed just one number for the jackpot, so was very close. When I realised I’d won, I was quite shocked!’
‘I was delighted for her,’ said Susan, ‘as I had never won a major prize at bingo before!’
But that situation didn’t last long. Diane’s win came in the last hand of the first session, after which there was a special ‘holiday’ game, entry to which was for those who had won various games in previous weeks.
Susan’s dabber was working overtime in the early stages of the game, but as it drew to a close, she thought her chance was gone.
‘I just needed number 90,’ she said. ‘And then four or five numbers came out and I thought the chance was gone – then out came 90 and I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t celebrate until I had checked my book to make sure I had all my numbers – and then we did celebrate!’
For Susan, the holiday win was timely. ‘For the last two years, we’ve been on holiday to Spain in February with Diane and her family,’ she explained. ‘But I didn’t think we’d be able to go again this time. Now we’re really looking forward to it.’
Meanwhile, Diane is using her ?500 jackpot win as spending money for a previously planned holiday to the US this month.
Sefton Group Marketing Manager Naomi Finch said: ‘It’s the first time we’ve had sisters winning two major prizes on the same night and we’re all delighted for them, particularly as they are regular visitors to Palace Bingo. Susan and Diane tell me they won’t be hanging up their dabbers any time soon – they say there are too many prizes still to be won!’
Photo caption - Sisters Susan Williamson (left) and Diane Christian (right) are congratulated on their Palace Bingo wins by Sefton Group Marketing Manager Naomi Finch.
