Bingo is played in halls. Bingo rules and payouts
and play variations vary from place to place. Bingo brochures
detailing particular games, rules and payouts are usually
available at each respective location.
Basically, players buy cards with numbers on them in a 5
x 5 grid corresponding to the five letters in the word B-I-N-G-O.
Numbers such as B-2 or 0-68 are then drawn at random (out
of a possible 75 in American Bingo, and 90 in British and
Australian Bingo) until one player completes a 'Bingo'
pattern, such as a line with five numbers in a vertical, horizontal
or diagonal row on one of their cards and wins the
prize. There are many possible patterns to play for.
A bingo Card contains 24 numbered spaces and one free
space (blank), with which you play BINGO. The numbers are
assigned at random on each card and are arranged in five columns
of five numbers each by five rows (5 x 5 = 25 in total including
the blank square).
The numbers in the B column are between 1 and 15, in the I
column between 16 and 30, in the N column (containing four
numbers and the free space) between 31 and 45, in the G column
between 46 and 60, and in the O column between 61 and 75.
Players have thousands of unique (unduplicated) cards to
choose from. Some manufacturers print unduplicated series
of 6,000 cards. There are also series of 9,000 cards available.
Hard cards and Flimsy cards have a series number printed on
them. For example, card number 1252 will always have the same
numbers in the same spaces.
Bingo in the United Kingdom and Australia
In the U.K. Bingo is played mainly in large halls with cash
prizes, the larger commercial concerns are linked up with
other halls during one particular game in the evening and
large cash sums can be won on these.
It is also played in nearly every seaside town in the U.K.
on screens in front of the player who pulls a slide across
to cover the number called, but, presumably because of our
gambling laws, there are no cash prizes, just various items
like cuddly toys.
The other times Bingo is played, again for prizes, not cash,
is in a myriad of local halls or schools around the country,
usually as a fund raiser for various concerns like an old
peopleâs Day Centre. Here the prizes are donated by shopkeepers
and businesses in the town and surrounding area and the atmosphere
at these Bingo games is usually very relaxed and a fun evening
out where everyone is welcome, even children.
The prizes vary for these games but on average a prize for
any one line is worth about ó1.00 - ó2.50 (depending on who
is organising the bingo evening), any 2 lines would be worth
about ó2 - ó5 and a full house (all the numbers on a card)
worth ó5 - ó10. They could be boxes of chocolates, bottles
of wine, a grocery hamper, a voucher from a local butcher
for meat or a cream tea for two at a local tea-shop or even
2 free passes to a swimming pool. Anything really.
U.K. (and Australian) bingo cards have three lines and nine
columns (see picture above) and usually come in "Books"; single
or multiple. A single book would contain ten 10 pages (10
cards) each of a different colour: Gold, Lime, Violet, Yellow,
Pink, Grey, Orange, Blue, Red and White.
A multiple book has 6 single books. Each page in a multiple
book has 6 cards of the same colour. The 6 cards on a page
are joined with perforated edges and can be pulled apart.
Experienced players will play all 6 books and inexperienced
players or young children may only play 1 book, or even a
single card.
As well as books, there are also single sheets of bingo cards
sold with the 6 sections on (six cards) and these are called
"Flyers". Again you can buy just one section or 6 to suit
your pocket or your experience. The flyers cost more per game
than on the books but the prizes are usually worth a bit more.
In the large towns and cities Bingo is fairly "big business"
and people play in deadly earnest, hoping to win that elusive
jackpot. In small towns and villages itâs much more of a social
occasion with amateur callers and a lot lighter atmosphere.
Australia uses the same bingo cards as in the U.K. In Sydney
and Melbourne the callers are incredibly fast. In Perth they
call a lot slower.
Number calling
The numbers are announced quickly by the Caller, so
you must pay careful attention to the numbers that are called
and mark them quickly and accurately on your card(s).
The caller keeps calling numbers until one or more players
claim BINGO. Then the game stops and the numbers are
verified. If there is a winner, the prize is awarded and a
new bingo game begins with new cards. If there is more than
one winner, the prize is split among all the winners.
In Las Vegas many variations including Letter X, Six Pack
and Coverall Bingo are offered. Additionally, some places
offer special progressive payouts as high as $10,000.
Online Bingo
When playing online, your bingo cards are randomly
selected for you. Most online games give you 3 or 4 cards.
Other games let you take more.
Every online bingo game has a caller or a display board for
the bingo numbers. The game pattern is also displayed. Some
games automatically mark the numbers on your card for you.
Where to play Bingo:
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