A 24-year-old influencer from Bedfordshire, UK, is making waves on social media after claiming she’s won £7,000 in less than a year by playing bingo 14 times a week, despite concerns that it might be considered an addiction.
Ellie Scales first started playing bingo during a night out with friends and never expected it would turn into a lucrative side gig. She now frequents bingo halls both in the afternoon and evening, with her highest single win amounting to £1,500.
Sharing her bingo adventures on TikTok, one of her videos has gone viral, amassing 7.2 million views and over 560,000 likes. However, some of her followers are worried that her passion for the game might border on addiction.
Ellie, who considers herself financially stable, brushes off these concerns, emphasizing that she enjoys playing bingo with her friends. She appreciates it as a way to socialize and have fun. Bingo halls have spending limits, and Ellie insists she never goes overboard.
In one of her TikTok videos, Ellie smashes open a money jar filled with her bingo winnings. As she empties the jar, revealing £20 and £10 notes, she exclaims, “I’m a millionaire!” Later, she clarifies in another clip that the total was £2,600.
Her videos have sparked interest in bingo, with some followers expressing a desire to try it themselves. While Ellie admits she initially “hated” the game due to confusion, she quickly became hooked and hasn’t missed a week since December 2022.
Ellie cites the thrill of winning, the money, and the relaxation factor as her reasons for loving bingo. She plays with her dad, friends, or sometimes goes alone. Despite some friendly banter with fellow players, Ellie enjoys a positive relationship with the bingo hall staff.
Though she hasn’t kept track of her total spending on the game, Ellie believes her winnings have more than compensated for any costs. She has used her bingo earnings to fund three holidays, indulge in shopping sprees, and bolster her savings.
Ellie encourages others to try bingo and shares her strategy: “Put positive affirmations into the universe and tell yourself you’re going to win. Have your game face on and manifest the money. You’ve got to be in it to win it.”
Her story has generated mixed reactions, with some fascinated by her bingo journey and others expressing concerns about potential addiction.
