Mandy Bowman, a Scottish farmer’s wife, has just made her family very rich after winning an online casino jackpot worth almost £1.2 million ($1.5m).
While most of these huge prizes are won through online slots, Bowman actually hit an online bingo jackpot. Now, she has big dreams of building an indoor horse riding school and opening a livery (rental stable where people keep their horses).
Despite now being £1,185,253 richer, Bowman isn’t thinking about lavish holidays or extravagant cars.
“We’ll soon be lambing and then the cows will be out to the field, so it could be May or even June before we can take a holiday, Bowman told the Aberdeen Voice. “My husband doesn’t have a passport, so when we do finally take a break it won’t be anywhere exotic – it will be in Scotland.”
“I might treat myself to a 4×4 to make getting in and out of the farm easier. I asked my husband if he would like a new car, but he’s happy with the one he’s got. I’ve become a millionaire, but the day I really hit the jackpot was the day I met my husband.”
Living in tiny Buckie, Banffshire, Scotland, Mandy and her husband, John, have been married for two years. They’ve yet to take a honeymoon and, despite winning big, they have the sense not to blow their winnings on lavish trips.
As for how Mandy won her jackpot, here’s a look at how she described the event to the Aberdeen Voice:
“When I switched onto the progressive jackpot, I started to lose. I was spinning away and I was down to my last £3. I thought there was no way I would win anything then.
“I spun again and all the symbols matched. I thought I was seeing things and then a message flashed up to say that I had won the jackpot. When I saw the number I thought it was a mistake or a joke – I really didn’t believe it.
“I didn’t sleep for about three nights afterwards. It has come as a huge shock, but a very welcome one. I’m not going to go wild and splurge it all on cars or holidays: we love this lifestyle and we love the farm, and we want to make a future for ourselves here.”