B-I-N-G-O!

Stop singing....you know you are.

My BFF is addicted to playing Bingo at her local casino.  I challenged her to add up how much she spends on Bingo, and almost hung up the phone on me (hee hee).  When I visited her last summer, I had my one and only experience at Bingo.  While Bingo is mostly a game of chance, there is some skill involved, as I found out.  And the people who are regulars there.....they are hard core.  They have sets of markers, and tokens for luck.  They have all sorts of stuff.

I found out that each game has a different pattern of numbers to win.  Oh no....you can't just have 5 in a row.  There are flags and flowers and letters and such.  In order to see the pattern more clearly, those in the know will cross out the squares you don't need to win.  So even if the number is called, you don't mark it (knowing all these patterns and what you need to cross out....that is the skill part).

And most people play at least 9 cards at a time.  So when B5 is called...you have to look for it on 9 cards.  I am telling ya...once the session started, you could hear a pin drop in the Bingo hall.

Additionally, you can purchase "bonus" games.  And each of those games has its own set of rules.  One is called Pot of Gold, and it is considered a "progressive" game.  I don't remember all the nuances of it, but I know that there are 4 subgames, and the jackpot is rolling.  In order to win the jackpot, you have to "win" in 38 calls or less.  If no one wins in 38 calls, then the jackpot rolls to the next session and continues to build.

Why am I telling you this?  Because you all are thinking of becoming hard core Bingo people?  You want to become a Bingo caller (don't laugh....I thought about it.  People tip these people when they win, and a caller can clear $500 in tips for a 3 hr session!).

No...I am telling you this because my BFF won the jackpot in Pot of Gold!  She got all 4 patterns in under 38 calls.  She was the sole winner of the jackpot.  Wanna know what she won?????




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She won......$12,000!!!!!

So I think she has now paid for her Bingo habit over the past years.  I am so happy and excited for her.  Plus, this windfall is allowing her to come visit me!!!

She is struggling with what to do with the majority of the money.  She knows the responsible thing is to pay debt.  But she also knows that they have some upcoming vacations (which would go on the CC), and other miscellaneous bills to pay.  And she really wants to go and have some fun!!!

While I am excited she is coming to visit, I do hope that she is responsible with the money.  I know she isn't the type to just blow it all....but I also know she isn't likely to put as much toward debt as she (and her financial advisor) knows she should.

Anyone else ever have a big win while gambling????