More than £19 million in bingo winnings has been handed out to punters at a chain of Midland clubs, figures revealed today.

Mecca Bingo customers raked in a fortune last year.

The club in Oldbury has been named as the luckiest in the region. During 2011, punters picked up winnings of £4.5m, a third more than its nearest regional rival.

Brierley Hill came in second with £2.9m  handed out and Wednesbury was third with £2.4m. Bilston was fourth with £2.3m winnings, Telford handed out £1.3m and West Bromwich  £1.2m.

Area Manager Mike Etherington said: “To pay out £19.6m worth of prize money to our customers in one year is fantastic.

“Bingo is more fun than ever and, over the last year, we’ve seen yet another increase in customer numbers and more people under the age of 35 coming through our doors.

“I think people new to the game always find it surprising how much fun they can have playing bingo.

“What’s great about our customers is that there is very little jealousy.

“There’s always a brilliant atmosphere in a club when someone wins and other customers are genuinely happy for the winner – there’s a real sense of excitement and camaraderie.”

The Express & Star recently revealed bingo was having a revival, even attracting a much younger audience to its events.

Mecca shut its Wolverhampton branch in 2007 after struggling when the smoking ban was introduced, but earlier this month announced expansion plans that included a new club for the city.

Last month Mecca owner the Rank Group of casinos reported a profits boom of £34.6 million as gambling becomes more popular.

The firm also owns Grosvenor G Casinos, and said its soaring profits were down to an increase in the number people coming through the doors. The figure, for the last six months of 2011, was up £1.2m on the year before.

Group chairman Ian Burke said customer numbers had grown 3.5 per cent.