100 Years Young Hits the Bingo Jackpot

We recently reported a story about Bernice “Aunt B” the avid Bingo player who just recently celebrated her 100th birthday on 21 May. She makes the headlines again and has more to celebrate with an astounding $10,000 bingo win.

She won the Jackpot when claimed a bingo on B3, the designated Bingo Cash Ball Jackpot. A native from Chicago, Illinois, Aunt B now resides in Las Vegas where she has been playing Bingo every week.

A regular at bingo, Johanna Long said everyone knows Aunt B at the Aliante Station Bingo room.

"It was quite busy because the Cash Ball hadn't been won for quite some time, so it went up," she said. "They had over 100 people there, easily over 100, which is unusual. Then the game started, and in game nine, which is a double bingo, she won on the bingo ball."

"I figured I had a chance," she said. "I think God watched over me."

Gursch bellowed, "Bingo!" when she won, her nephew said.

"My aunt can't lift her arms very high, but when she won, both arms flew over her head," he said.

Long heard the call clearly and said "Everyone immediately knew it was her," she said. "It was cute. The bingo supervisor that night, Dawn, did something she usually does not do. She took the microphone and announced Aunt B was the winner. Usually they win, and they say, 'One lucky winner has won' but never say the names."

A Bingo Cash Ball Jackpot win of that size plus $100 for the double bingo game, is rare, said Aliante Station slot operations and bingo manager Mario Giannini.

"It was a huge buzz," Giannini said. "My team called me right away. Everyone was excited.