2026 has got off to an amazing start for Megan Philpott from Harlow. A spur-of-the-moment outing to the bingo with her parents last weekend, turned into an unforgettable night for the 21-year-old, when she scooped a huge £50,000 jackpot at Mecca Bingo in Harlow.
Megan scooped the windfall on Sunday (18th January) – bringing her a huge step closer to buying her first home.
Having originally planned to go out with friends, when her plans fell through, her mum and dad stepped in for the trip to Mecca Bingo on Terminus Street. Little did they know, just hours later, the family would be celebrating the extraordinary win together.
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Megan Philpott celebrates on the night of her huge £50,000 jackpot win at Mecca Bingo Harlow
Playing with a traditional paper bingo ticket and dabber, Megan was diligently marking off the numbers and initially thought she had won the modest club prize of £234 – completely unaware that she had claimed the ‘full house’ within the first 16 numbers being called, which triggered the amazing £50,000 National Bingo Game jackpot too.
Jackpot winner Megan shared: “When my numbers kept coming, I looked at my mum and thought something strange was happening. I said I needed number 13 – and it got called. Then 31 – and it got called. When I claimed, the caller told me it could be £50K – I was so confused. He was checking my ticket, and I kept thinking I must have made a mistake. But no! He confirmed it, and I went into complete shock. My mum flew across the table and hugged me. The club was the busiest I’d ever seen so the atmosphere was amazing. It was all so surreal.
“I’ve been saving for a house for years, so this is a huge step towards getting on the property ladder,” Megan added. While she’s putting most of the winnings towards her future home, she has planned one celebratory treat – upgrading flights for an upcoming trip to Bali with her sister.
Megan’s win reflects the wave of younger players embracing bingo. In fact, over the past 12 months, almost half (45%) of Mecca venues’ new members were under 35, attracted by the fun social atmosphere, affordability, and potential of a big win.
Megan, who was first introduced to Mecca Bingo by her parents, added: “My friends used to call me a ‘grandma’ for going to bingo. But once they came along, they loved it too. It’s such a social, relaxed night out – and you never know what might happen!”
To find out more about Mecca Bingo Harlow, including sessions and upcoming events, visit https://www.meccabingo.com/bingo-clubs/harlow
The National Bingo Game is played across Britain and offers players the chance to win jackpot prizes of up to £50,000 as well as a club prize on every game. The National Bingo Game is played twice a day, every day, 364 days a year at all Mecca Clubs.