A bingo caller from Houghton Le-Spring, Washington is celebrating 50 years in the business after starting his bingo calling career way back in 1973 in the Empire Bingo Club.
Despite reaching this major milestone of half a century as a bingo caller, Billy Ritchey says he has no plans to retire in the near future. He still loves his job and stated that he wants to carry on doing it for as long as possible.
Ritchey used to attend the prize bingo as a child with his mum, which is what started his passion for bingo and lead to him taking his first bingo caller job at the Empire Bingo when he was 18. He worked at various bingo halls in the North East before making his home at Buzz Bingo in Washington in 1994.
Well done and congratulations Billy.
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