"Come on its not all old women whose dentures fall out when they shout house, there are loads of younger people go, the beers cheap, you can win loadsamoney, and have a laugh" said my know it all friend lyn.

I wasnt convinced, the thought of being glared at by an octagenerian for taking 'her' seat did not bode well, but the thought of the possibility of winning 100,000 quid gave me a push in the right direction.

Now before my first bingo experience I had preconceived ideas of the game and the people who played it, naughty I know but true.

So I donned a cap (good for hiding my face should I bump into anyone I remotely know) and set of in my search for thousands.

It cost a tenner for all the books which included a three page bronze book (money prize crap) a 6 page silver book (money not so crap) and a 7 page gold book (money money money). I also received a flyer and the prize on that was £500.

The first session started, dabber in hand. Nightmare!!! I couldnt keep up with the caller I had six 15 numbered books to mark, and Lyn had to do most of my marking for me (bet she'd wished she'd never invited me in the first place). Anyway to cut a long story short I didnt win anything UNTIL.

I was marking the last card of the gold book and suddenly I found that my numbers were coming out very quickly and lo and behold Id won £1000. Can you believe it, beginners luck but what the hell, I now had the bug.

We decided to stay a bit longer, being the money grabbing witches that we are, and bought the late flyers ( a three page book and if you call out on your last page at 46 number or less you get £1000 on top of the house prize which was £125.

Now I thought I was pushing my luck here, Id already had a big win, it couldnt happen again.

The last page of the book again my numbers were coming out so fast I could hardly keep up, and it got to 45 number and the shouter called &q
uot;last time for the jackpot after this number, he shouted out number 18 and I shouted Bingo again.

I almost fainted 2 grand Id won for a stake of a tenner, I couldnt believe it, I was in a state of utter shock.

Im so glad she convinced me to go that night. Although I dont go often the biggest prize I did win was £4000 on a national link game, and a few other hundred pound prizes to boot.

Its not exactly brain surgery and youre not gonna meet the man of your dreams here, but it is a good night out with a few friends and a few beers, and doesnt cost a lot, and hey somebody's gotta win.

In the words of camelot "It Could Be You".

Overall, a good night out, there are a lot of young people now playing and a guy in my local mecca bingo recently won £112,000, can;t be bad.

Dont knock it til youve tried it, Im glad I didnt I would have won over £6000 in a matter of weeks.

p.s. being the generous person that I am I split my win with my friend.