When one person wins at bingo, the atmosphere is exciting. When over 100 people win at bingo, the setting becomes chaotic.
In Brazil, a total of 101 bingo players simultaneously captured the top prize of $184 when the number 49was announced. Due to a glitch, all the players yelled “bingo” at the same time before rushing to the tent to claim the prize.
“It was mayhem. It was the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this,” one of the winners, Osmar Saldanha, said. The chaotic scene took place in the coastal town of Iparana, Brazil.
Unfortunately, the winners were forced to share the jackpot, amounting to a measly $1.83 each. The organizers kindly rounded up so each player walked away with $1.85.
“I have never won at bingo and when I eventually win, I have to share the prize with 100 other people!” Saldanha said. In the end, Saldanha actually lost money that night, reportedly purchasing three bingo cards for $3.71, which is double the amount he won. The cards should have been for a chance at winning $370 in cash, including $185.30 for a full card.
One of the game organizers, Mauricio Facanha, explained that the mistake was caused by a glitch with the printer.
“I was baffled trying to understand it, but when I stopped to analyze it, I saw all the cards had the number 49. It was a printing error that shouldn’t have happened,” Facanha said.
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/07/06/over-100-people-win-bingo-at-same-time-in-chaotic-scene/