A GENEROUS mum who scooped a £50,000 bingo prize will share her windfall with family.
And Joanne Bell, from Stockton, will still have enough left over to jet off on a foreign jaunt following the big win.
The mum-of-four initially hadn’t realised she had claimed ‘house’ within the first 16 numbers being called at the Mecca Bingo event.
Even after the room erupted in applause, she still refused to believe that she had nabbed the winnings.
‘‘Everyone around me was saying ‘you’ve won the jackpot, you’ve won the jackpot’,” she recalled.
“I was like ‘No…’ Then I looked down at the screen and realised I had…it was just so surreal!’’
Joanne’s daughter paid tribute to her hard-working mum.
“My mum was planning on retiring next year, but now she said she’s going to retire at Christmas!
“She’ll probably treat herself to a few holidays.
“She deserves it. She’s been a proper worker all her life.”
The generous mum has decided to share the money with the three relatives who were with her at the event – including her own mum, who will now be able to retire early.
Joanne was also with her sister and niece when the life-changing prize was handed over.
“Joanne’s jaw was on the floor when she realised she had won the £50,000,” said Jess Heron, the caller at Mecca Bingo Stockton.
“I even screamed; ‘We’ve won the big one!’.
“Everyone in the venue was on cloud nine and I’ve never known an atmosphere like it!
“It gave me goosebumps to see how excited everyone was.
By Ethan Singh
A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The holder, who remains anonymous to this day, amassed the fortune with just one lucky ticket.
Britain’s previous EuroMillions record holders were Joe and Jess Thwaite.
The couple won a record-breaking £184million jackpot in May 2022 and shared hopes of a Hawaiian holiday and a new horse box for their children’s ponies.
Joe bought his winning ticket online on May 10, 2022, and the following morning received an email with good news.
As he learnt of the huge win, he was in disbelief and initially kept it for himself as he did not want to disturb his wife, who was sleeping.
Joe, a communications sales engineer, and Jess, who runs a hairdressing salon with her sister, have been married for 11 years and have two children.
Colin and Christine Weir landed the colossal prize money in 2011 and were Europe’s second-biggest winners until someone in Italy won a jackpot worth £193m in 2019.
They splashed the cash at an astounding rate of £100,000 a week before tragedy struck.
But at the time of Colin’s death in December 2019 his share of the prize money had dwindled by around £40m.
He spent the millions living a life of luxury, forking out for sports cars, property and the football club he supported.
Colin and Christine divorced shortly before his death after being married for 38 years.
He left money for their children Carly and Jamie.
Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
But Adrian split from Gillian the following year because of the stress of the win.
The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021.
After divorcing in 2013, he failed to woo ex-sausage factory worker Marta Jarosz — but fell for stable girl Sam Burbidge.
She left him in 2017, taking 30 prize horses Adrian bought.
It might have worked out in the end for Adrian though as the former postman was seen smiling with ambulance worker Tracey Biles last year.
Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband hit the jackpot.
They scooped almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019.
She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family.
The couple from Colne, Lancashire, took home £61 million on January 30 2024.
Both 54, they were enjoying a holiday in Fuerteventura, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
But they then discovered the big EuroMillions win.
Richard revealed they originally thought they had won £2.60, but then received another email telling the pair to check their account.
Other eye-watering anonymous winners:
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April.
The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.
“Other customers were coming over and congratulating her.
“We had a mini celebration on the night, and made a real fuss of Joanne and her family.
“They were just so appreciative and overwhelmed.’’
The National Bingo Game is played twice a day during 364 days a year at all Mecca Clubs.
Elsewhere, the National Lottery’s winning numbers were revealed Wednesday evening with a staggering £8.8 million up for grabs.
It comes after Tuesday night’s National Lottery EuroMillions jackpot offered up an eye-watering £180M jackpot.
The EuroMillions jackpot would make the winner richer than Anthony Joshua, who is said to have an estimated net worth of £175M.
