Waterville Woman Wins $150,000 Playing Bingo at Mystic Lake

PRIOR LAKE, Minn. – Brittany Lynn Connell said she would run up and down the aisles if she won. Instead, according to her mother, she turned white and looked sick. Nothing $150,000 couldn't cure, though.

After a few moments wondering if it was a dream, reality for the 22-year-old Waterville, Minn. native was a $150,000 Bonanza prize from Mystic Bingo.

"Everyone knew I already had it because the number (I-30) was up on the screen, then I yelled it too early," Connell said. "I was like, 'do I still get it?' It was crazy."

Connell became the most recent player in Mystic Bingo history to win the top Bonanza prize of $150,000 and the first since Oct. 31, 2007. She said it felt like she had already won the game when she first received her card – needing only two numbers to fill it to win. The Bonanza game is started when 45 numbers are pre-called before every evening session. All players have the opportunity to buy a tear-open bingo card and mark those first 45 numbers. They hold onto these cards until later in the evening when the game is continued and completed. Until then, guests have the chance to trade in or purchase more cards. To win, a player must have a full card in 48 numbers or less. Connell's winning number was the 47th called.

By the next morning, she was the talk of Waterville.

"It's a pretty small town, I've lived there all my life," Connell said. "I woke up the next day and everyone knew about it – people just kept on calling me."

Connell, who visits Mystic Lake occasionally to play bingo, doesn't have terribly exciting plans for her jackpot – she's going to pretend she doesn't have it. However, she did hint at a gently used new car.

"I don't want to be silly with it," Connell said. "I don't have a vehicle. Then I'll just live day by day, pay my bills."

And she'll likely throw in a trip back to Mystic Lake, so she can run up and down the aisles as she originally planned.