Bingo
Bingo is one of the most simple games to play as it requires no real skill, a card and a marker. Balls are drawn by the bingo event coordinator and as they come up, the players mark them on their card, should they have them. Once a player makes a complete row, which can be horizontal vertical or diagonal, they are then considered the winner for that bingo round.
A truly exciting game and played in Lodges, Church events and Bingo Halls in all parts of the world. Bingo only takes a few minutes to learn and can provide hours of entertainment.
Bingo’s roots begin in Italy around 1530, the French picked it up by the 1700s, but a man named Edwin S. Lowe coined the term. The New York man had gone to a carnival in Georgia and observed a game the players called ‘Beano’ because they used beans to cover each square. Lowe brought the game home, taught his friends, and soon enough it was a hit. ‘Beano’ began ‘Bingo’ when a woman accidentally blurted that term instead of the traditionally accepted term.
The modern game of Bingo begins with a five-by-five board. The vertical columns spell ‘Bingo’ and certain numbers are designated to a particular set of each letter. For example, ‘B’ contains any five numbers between 1 and 15, ‘I’ contains 16 through 30, ‘N’ contains 31 through 45, and so on. The center of the board is a ‘free spot’ which doesn’t require a number to be called for it to be a part of a call.
There are dozens of types of possible calls in Bingo, which are simply formations of chips that you’re trying to achieve before anyone else. Common patterns are Four Corners, Diagonal, Double Stamps, Picture Frame, or the most challenging, Coverall.
To play the game, you listen for the numbers called, in the format such as ‘B-5’ or ‘N-37’. When a number is called which is on your board, you put a chip or token in that spot.
Once you’ve achieved a call, you call out “Bingo!” loud enough for the caller to hear. Be considerate of the fact that it’s common to hear snickers from a sleeper, someone who calls Bingo after the next number has already been called.
Bingo is predominantly a game of luck, but some skill may be used. If you’re looking for N-37, for example, some people ignore the left side of each square, and skim for a 7. When one is found, check to see if the corresponding number is a 3. This could cut down on time by comprehending single digits, rather than double digits.
The prizes of Bingo vary, but is generally a cash jackpot ranging from $50 to $1000, and in large-scale halls, even more. Bingo can also be played with other prizes. When children play, a treat or toy may be more appropriate.
While some play Bingo at a leisurely pace, others play with great seriousness and 12 cards in front of them. This goes to show that you will have a different experience at every Bingo Hall you come across.