Roadkill bingo is a game in which the pictures of 24 different animals are placed randomly in a grid, printed on paper or cardboard [1]. The game is traditionally played in vehicles during long distance travel.
When a dead specimen of one of these animals is spotted by a player, that square in the grid is marked off with either a bingo blotter or some other writing instrument. Small poker like chips may be used to designate spotted dead animals, however the jarring due to bumps in the road make this a less viable option.
Traditionally, only the first person to spot the roadkill is entitled to mark off the corresponding picture. As in regular bingo, the object of the game is to spot a sequence of five dead animals which are in the same row or column on the bingo card. At the instant that five in a row is achieved, that player is obligated to yell “bingo”, loudly and clearly, and the player is said to have “got a bingo.” Prizes for bingos are typically decided upon before the commencement of play. Spotting five dead animals in a row whose pictures are along a diagonal of a card also counts as a bingo. Four corners may also count as a bingo. The center square is often free, meaning that no dead animal need be spotted to mark it. Controversy may arise when a dead animal is spotted which may not technically be classified as roadkill, and when two players simultaneously spot the roadkill. Players in the front seat have a clear advantage, however, the driver must have someone else mark his or her card.
To promote brevity of games, regional variations include animals more likely to be found dead in the particular locale. The West Coast version was played by soldiers in Saudi Arabia during operation Desert Storm. [2]
Genre Game show
Presented by Kris Aquino
Starring Isko “Brod Pete” Salvador (Bingo Caller), Mel Feliciano (Bingo Commissioner)
Country of origin Philippines
Languages Filipino and English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 63 Production Executive producer(s) Morly Stewart Nueva
Producer(s) American Broadcasting Company, Fox World
Location(s) Cainta, Rizal
Camera setup Multi-Camera
Running time 45 minutes (including commercials)
Distributor Fox World Broadcast Original channel ABS-CBN
Picture format 480i SDTV
Original run March 30, 2009 – June 26, 2009
Related shows National Bingo Night
External links: Website
Pinoy Bingo Night is the Philippine game show version of National Bingo Night, which premiered on the ABS-CBN on March 30, 2009. It is hosted by Kris Aquino with Brod Pete as the “bingo caller” and Mel Feliciano as the “commissioner”, who referees the playing studio audience.[1][2]
Gameplay
Members of the studio audience attempt to win a game of bingo while competing against a solo studio contestant. Each episode consisted of two games without any distinction other than order (the original version has three games represented by red, white and blue bingo cards). Furthermore, the bingo cards used in this show don’t have the “Free” space in the center. Originally, there were two groups each playing a game, but later the games involved one studio audience, each member holding two cards and the winners in the first game were replaced by new players.
Most solo studio contestants are celebrities, but has been normal people in several occasions. After 39 episodes, two celebrities play one game.
In each game, the solo contestant competes in a minigame that also serves to unveil the numbers being called for the game. He or she then tries to complete the minigame and outlast the audience before they could declare bingo. If they are successful, they win P1,000,000; if an audience member beats them to it, they walk away with nothing and the audience member wins P50,000. In case of a tie, the audience member still wins.
After 16 episodes, the game rules have been changed. From the 17th episode onwards, an episode only consists of one game. When only one audience member gets a bingo, the audience member is given the option to take over from the first solo contestant to become the second and finish the game to win a million. If the audience member decides to take the spot, he/she must risk half of the P50,000 and continue the game to win P1,000,000. The other audience members who are one ball away from winning (or puro, the local term used) are still playing for a bingo. If an audience member gets a bingo, he/she will get P50,000 while the second solo contestant that took over still gets P25,000. In case more than one audience member won over the first solo contestant(s), they would be given individual choices on whether to continue the solo contestant’s game. If more than one of them decide to continue and eventually win the solo contestant’s game, they would each have a share of the million-peso price; they would take home P25,000 each should they continue the game and lose. In case at least one audience member gains a bingo just as the solo player finishes the game (still applying the audience-member-wins rule), the winning audience member will not have to replay the last moments of the game anymore, and instead is automatically given P50,000.
Contestants could only use certain drawn balls to put towards their game, determined by correctly guessing whether the next number is either red or black, odd or even, depending on the rules given by host.
The minigames and their rules are as follows:
Bingo 500: The contestant aims to have all their bingo balls drawn add up to 500. In order to be credited to the total, the contestant has to correctly guess that the next drawn ball is odd or even or its text is colored red or black depending on the rules given by the host.
9 Ball: The contestant aims to eliminate the billiard balls 1 to 9. In order for this to happen, the contestant must guess if the next drawn ball is odd or even or its text is colored red or black depending on the rules given by the host. A correct guess would eliminate the billiard balls corresponding to the digits on the drawn ball.
Money Bags: The contestant chooses one of three ten-digit bank account numbers. The player has to eliminate the digits of the account number in the same way as in 9-Ball (if a digit appears at least twice in the number, all instances of that digit is eliminated). In order for this to happen, the contestant must guess if the text on the next drawn ball is colored red or black or if it is odd or even depending on the rules given by the host.
High 7: The contestant has to draw six balls bearing the number 7 (such as “B-7,” “I-17,” etc.).
Around the Philippines: Twelve Philippine place names are listed. The player must eliminate each of the twelve by correctly guessing if the next drawn ball is odd or even or if the text is red or black depending on the rules given by the host.
Bingo Crossword: Two of the word bingo, intersected at letter I, crossword-style, is shown. The contestant must guess if the text of the next ball drawn is colored red or black. A correct guess would highlight a letter corresponding to the one on the drawn ball. In order to win, the player must have the word “BINGO” highlighted both vertically and horizontally on the puzzle.
During the duration of the program’s run, there have been eleven millionaires and one millionaire team.
Homeviewer game
Home viewers could collect pre-printed game cards by exchanging proofs-of-purchase of the show’s sponsors or purchase items totaling a certain amount, depending on the sponsor. Twenty numbers are drawn and nine of those numbers should appear in an X-pattern on the card for it to be declared a winning card. Winning cards could be redeemed for a single P150,000 daily cash prize and a P50,000 bonus cash prize. Holders of the cards must register the cards’ serial numbers through SMS in order for the cards to be qualified for the additional bonus cash prize. An additional P50,000 is added to the bonus cash prize for every day it is not won by a registered bingo card holder. Also, in case there is more than one winner, regardless of whether or not they were registered, they would have to share the daily cash prize. Only one registered card holder could win the bonus prize, and if there is more than registered winning card holder, the prize is raffled off. Also, cards are playable for one week (five episodes), but the set of drawn balls for the cards is different for each day of the week. The balls drawn for this game are different from those used in the studio games.
A second homeviewers’ game is also launched viewers note and send via SMS the last ball of each of the two games in the episode. The cash prize the winner receives depends on who won on the two games. If one solo player wins a million, the homeviewer winner gets P100,000. If both solo players win a million each, the homeviewer would win P200,000. If both solo players are beaten by at least a studio contestant each, the winning viewer would receive P10,000. The rules were slightly modified since the rule change to one game per episode, wherein the last ball drawn should be noted.
There are two types of bingo played around the world. North America plays 75-ball bingo on a 5×5 card with the centre square usually marked ‘free’. In the UK, parts of Europe, Australia and parts of South America they play a 90-ball game, marked on a 9×3 card. Both types of bingo are prominent online.
The desired pattern which players aim to achieve in 75 ball can vary dramatically, from a simple single line to more complicated themed patterns. The aim of the game, however, is always the same: to mark off the numbers to achieve the desired pattern. Speed Bingo is a variation played exactly the same, but numbers are simply called much quicker.
In 90-ball bingo, each card has three horizontal lines and nine columns. Each line contains five numbers, meaning each card has 15 numbers. The first column contains numbers from 1-9, the second column contains numbers from 10-19, the third column contains numbers from 20-29, all the way through to the final column which contains numbers from 80-90.
A game of 90 ball bingo will normally be played in three stages: one line, two lines and Full House. In a “one line” game players need to mark a complete horizontal line across one card (i.e., 5 numbers marked). The aim of a ‘two lines’ game is to complete any two marked lines horizontally across one card (i.e., 10 numbers marked). Finally a “Full House” means all the numbers marked off on one card (all 15 numbers), as in a regular coverall game. The prize split differs for each stage of the game. The prize will be shared equally among the winners if there is more than one. The Full House is always the largest prize in any one game.
Genre Game show Presented by Abhishek Bachchan Country of origin India Language(s) English and Hindi No. of seasons 1 No. of episodes 13 Production Running time 60 minutes per episode (including commercials) Broadcast Original channel Viacom18 Colors TV Original airing 23 January 2010 Links Website
National Bingo Night is an Indian game show, based on the American game show of the same name, which schedule to premiere on the Colors TV on 23 January 2010.[1] The show is hosted by Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan.[2] The first celebrity guest on the show was Amitabh Bachchan [3]
Overview
National Bingo Night is marketed as an interactive experience for both the studio audience and viewers at home. Members of the studio audience attempted to win a game of bingo while competing against a solo studio contestant as well as live television audience.
How to Play
In each episode, two fast-paced, rounds of BINGO are played. The contestant plays one of many in-studio games, which is driven by the game ball numbers (1-75). The nation can play alongside the studio contestant by crossing out the numbers on their own ‘National Bingo Night’ tickets.
Each Ticket is only applicable for the Game number specified on it. Every episode of the TV Game Show will have two Games-a Yellow Ticket Game and a Green Ticket Game (“Game”). The host will announce the Game number and colour of the Ticket to be played on at the beginning of each Game. The home viewer has to circle the numbers announced by the host that are taken out of the dome, if they appear on your Ticket. Do not poke hole in the Ticket, or scratch out or strike-through the numbers. All the balls/numbers that are taken out will be displayed on the television screen from time to time during that Game.
Marketing
National Bingo Night, had teaser campaign running in the form of Abhishek Aaram Classes where individuals could take a quiz of being lazy, sign a lazy petition earn a certificate for being lazy or the coined term being aarami.[4] The show was first unveiled to viewers via a teaser campaign and witnessed the host, Abhishek Bachchan associated with ‘Abhishek’s Aaram Classes’. [5]
Maybe you’ve seen that scene in “My Girl” where a group of senior citizens and a rare handful of others are playing a rather boring and predictable game of bingo. Everyone is hunched over their cards while the caller says, “G-39…G-39”, prompting an onslaught of markers purposefully and carefully pressing the revered number. Time to get that picture out of your mind: bingo has been revamped – almost beyond recognition.
The internet is most definitely to thank as it’s been instrumental in bingo’s wild transmogrification. If you think that’s a bit extreme, consider what Las Vegas did to card games. Some casinos are taking the game to thematic new heights and have created drag bingo. Yes, people can and do dress up as the opposite sex and make it a night for divas or kings. Larger casinos, like those found in Las Vegas, have made an accumulation of the game and call it “Jumbo” which offers high cash prizes.
But what can players find in store for them online? For starters, the colorful nature of casinos infuses sites like partybingo.com, where you can play single or multiplayer rounds of bingo. Its “Team Bingo” allows groups of four (maximum) to win up to £100 individually. In teams of your closest buddies, the stakes can go up with your united, competitive front. If that doesn’t do it, the site also offers “90 Ball”, a traditional bingo game with 3 prizes per game. Each card consists of 3 lines with 5 numbers of between 1 and 90 on each line. For a different spin altogether, try “75 Ball Bingo”. Each card can have as many as 24 purchased numbers. The object of the game is to recreate a winning pattern, displayed at the start, on your bingo card. See? Beyond recognition.
It goes without saying that bingo has proven its mass appeal and it’s refreshing to see that diverse efforts have been made to accommodate a variety of people. No longer is it restricted to church groups or assisted living centers. Bingo has become a pasttime for the young and old; conservative and extreme; in-person and online.
Genre Game show Presented by Tim Campbell Starring Renee Bargh, Tanveer Ahmed Country of origin Australia Language(s) English No. of seasons 1 No. of episodes 6 Production Running time 60 minutes per episode (including commercials) Broadcast Original channel Seven Network Picture format 576i (SDTV) Audio format Stereo Original run 21 October 2007 – 25 November 2007 External links Website
National Bingo Night was an Australian game show, based on the American game show of the same name, which premiered on the Seven Network on 21 October 2007. The show was hosted by former Home and Away star Tim Campbell with former Girlband member Renee Bargh acting as the number caller. Tanveer Ahmed acted as the “commissioner”, who refereed the playing studio audience. The show was axed after six weeks.
Overview
National Bingo Night was marketed as an interactive experience for both the studio audience and viewers at home. Members of the studio audience attempted to win a game of bingo while competing against a solo studio contestant. Each episode consisted of three games represented by red, white and blue bingo cards.
Home viewers could collect pre-printed game cards from newspapers and the internet, and check the winning status of those cards by watching the program or checking the website after the show finished. Winning cards could be redeemed for a $100 cash prize and were also eligible to enter a weekly draw for $10,000.
The show was pre-recorded, and the winning numbers pre-determined by the producers. A small set of winning cards was put into circulation. As a result, the game was not a true game of bingo, but rather a lottery, as emphasised in the game’s terms and conditions.
National Bingo Night is an American game show hosted by Ed Sanders which premiered on ABC on May 18, 2007 with a six-episode order. Sanders is known for his work on another ABC show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show was cancelled by ABC and was repackaged as Bingo America on GSN, first hosted by Patrick Duffy, and in October 2008 by Richard Karn.
The creator of this program, Andrew Glassman, also created the reality television game Average Joe.
The game is an interactive experience for both the studio audience and viewers at home. On NBN, members of the studio audience attempted to win a game of bingo while competing with a solo studio contestant. For Bingo America, it is played as a straight general knowledge quiz format with two players and a home viewer bingo game within.
Home viewers play along with pre-printed game cards that are available from the network website just before each episode airs, and are also eligible to win prizes.
The show was expected to return for a five-episode run during the week of December 17, 2007,[1][2] but on November 13, 2007, ABC decided to replace it instead with its new game show, Duel. In 2008, the show was cancelled and was afterward shopped to other networks. Eventually GSN acquired the rights and the game was repackaged into a five-day-a-week 30-minute version with modifications listed below.
Gameplay
National Bingo Night
Each hour-long episode of NBN was divided into three games – Red, White, and Blue. Only cards with the correct designation were eligible to win prizes. Unlike the audience members, studio contestants did not actually have a bingo card. Instead, they participated in stunt games. During these games, they took guesses on what the next ball to be drawn from an over-sized bingo drum will be. Generally, this took the form of odd or even, red or black numbers (originally red or black decals on the balls), or whether the next number is higher or lower than the previous one.
On at least two occasions, the stunt was to draw balls that contained a certain number, such as five 5′s (“High Five”; drawing G-55 would count for two 5′s) or four 9′s (“Baseball”)
If the contestant successfully completes the stunt before anyone in the studio audience gets a bingo, the contestant wins one of various prizes. If not, then an audience member wins $5,000 (or a prize the studio contestant failed to win on at least one occasion). In the event that the in-studio contestant completes their game and an audience member gets a bingo, only the audience member wins.
All games were winner-take-all. Non-winning contestants received nothing.
Bingo America
The GSN format is still a bingo game, but now involves a quiz format. Two studio players play two games, with a “bank” that starts at a predetermined amount. After a ball is drawn, a question is asked. A correct answer earns the ball’s letter, and cash equal to the number of the ball drawn (anywhere between 1 and 75) is added. The game ends when a studio player spells out “BINGO”. Winning two games wins the bank. If both players win a game, then a best-of-five tiebreaker is played, with each answer starting with the letters “B-I-N-G-O”. The winner then wins the money in the bank, and plays a bonus board worth up to US$100,000 by matching two like amounts of cash or a prize (and in Season 2 avoiding “The Wrecking Ball”). At home players by matching two of the bonus numbers chosen by the player win $50.
The National Bingo Game, is a bingo game operated by the National Bingo Game Association since 1986 and played in some British bingo clubs. At one time more than 500 bingo clubs participated in the game every night (except Christmas Day).
Origin of game
The game was introduced under UK legislation as a game of multiple bingo UK bingo clubs are permitted under law to play only three such games of multiple bingo during any one day.
It was launched in June 1986 as technology became available whereby clubs were able to connect to a game control centre via modem to receive a preselected list of numbers which were called in the same time window in each participating bingo club.
Clubs then relayed their winner details back to the game control who would then award the National Game and Regional Game prizes to the clubs with the fastest claim that session.
National Lottery
Until 1994, the National Bingo Game was the UK’s largest computer controlled game until the National Lottery was launched. The lottery did have a negative impact on attendances at bingo clubs, although the game underwent several changes in attempt to boost prize money and compete with the lottery. In 2003, the total prize money paid by the National Game exceeded £47 million. By 2007, this had fallen to £37.7 million.
Rollover jackpots
In September 2007, bingo operators were allowed to introduce rollover jackpots for the first time and the National Game introduced the “Big N” – an optional £1 jackpot charge to players which gave them a chance to play for a gold, silver or platinum jackpot which began at £1 million.
Ticket sales for the jackpot were lower than anticipated and the prize was not won for many months, before the National Game decided to remove the optional £1 charge and introduce a 50p compulsory price rise in January 2008.
Decline of game
Several bingo clubs decided to withdraw from the game in January 2008, as price rises came whilst operators were still dealing with the effects from the smoking ban in England, which came into force in July 2007. Despite the new jackpot creating three new millionaires during 2008, Gala Bingo announced it would be withdrawing all its clubs from the National Game from September 2008 which meant another change in format. [2]
Current format
Following Gala’s withdrawal from the game, several other clubs also took the decision to pull out of the game, meaning less participants and no further possibility of £1 million jackpot wins. The price of the tickets is now very similar to when it first launched – 25 pence per ticket each afternoon (£1.50 for a strip of 6) and £1 for a set of 3 or £2 for a set of 6 tickets in the evening. With fewer participating clubs, the National Game now promote as “Better Chances and Better Choices” [3]
Biggest wins
The biggest win ever was on 23 March 2008, when Soraya Lowell from Motherwell, North Lanarkshire scooped GBP £1,167,795. The game was played in the Club 3000 bingo hall in Coatbridge
Charity
The National Game has brought all the bingo industry together each year in its annual charity campaign for Breakthrough Breast Cancer known as Bingo for Breakthrough. Operators and clubs who have withdrawn from the National Game tend to still support the charity.
National Game Caller of the Year
The National Game have operated a competition for all club callers to compete – the caller of the year competition. Regional heats are held across the country with each winner going on to the national final.
This is a list of British bingo nicknames. In the game of bingo in the United Kingdom, callers announcing the numbers have traditionally used some nicknames to refer to particular numbers if they are drawn. The nicknames are sometimes known by the rhyming phrase ‘bingo lingo’ and there are rhymes for each number from 1 to 90, some of which date back many decades. In some clubs the ‘bingo caller’ will say the number, with the assembled players intoning the rhyme in a call and response manner, in others, the caller will say the rhyme and the players chant the number. In 2003, Butlins holiday camps introduced some more modern calls devised by a Professor of Popular Culture in an attempt to bring fresh interest to bingo.[1][2]
Number
Nickname
Explanation
1
Kelly’s Eye
Military slang;[3] possibly a reference to Ned Kelly
2
One little duck
From the resemblance of the number 2 to a duck; see ’22′
Common rhyme derived from the given name Gertrude, used as a nickname for the statue La Delivrance installed in North London in 1927. The usage was reinforced by Dirty Gertie from Bizerte, a bawdy song sung by Allied soldiers in North Africa during the Second World War.[6]
The first host of the 1980s version was Michael Reagan, son of then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan, with Dusty Martell as co-host. Beginning on February 22, 1988 executive producer Ralph Andrews and Margaux MacKenzie took over as host and co-host and stayed on for the remaining five weeks the show was on the air.
Game show veteran Chuck Woolery was the host of the GSN version. Co-host Stacey Hayes joined the show in the third season. In later episodes of that season there was a second co-host known only as Paula, but that role was eliminated. Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004, took over the role as co-host for the rest of the GSN-produced episodes. Randi Thomas, a female announcer known for doing Hooked on Phonics ads, was the offstage announcer in the second season, with Hayes acting as announcer in the third season. For the remainder of the series, contestants introduced themselves in the show’s open and Shandi offered the “welcome back” before the beginning of Round Two.
EUBINGO is the Federation of European Bingo Associations. It is a Brussels-based umbrella group for associations representing the bingo industry. It has active members in four European countries.[1]
History
The Federation of European Bingo Associations EUBINGO was established in early 2006. The official EUBINGO launch took place on 31 January 2006 at the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by MEP Bill Newton Dunn. The original membership consisted of the British and Spanish participants, but by the end of the year EUBINGO had grown to four members.
Activities
Much of EUBINGO’s work consists of monitoring EU developments and keeping member associations informed on upcoming legislation which may affect them. The organisation also collates and distributes information on the bingo industry. On occasion, EUBINGO will make representations to lawmakers.
Member Organisations
The following are member organisations of EUBINGO:
Buzzword bingo is a bingo-style game where participants prepare bingo cards with buzzwords and tick them off when they are uttered during an event, such as a meeting or speech. The goal of the game is to tick off a predetermined number of words in a row and then yell “Bingo!”
Concept
Buzzword bingo is generally played in situations where audience members feel that the speaker, in an effort to mask a lack of actual knowledge, is just spouting off a bunch of buzzwords rather than providing information or ideas of actual value. Business meetings led by guest speakers or notable company personalities from higher up the pay scale are often viewed as a good opportunity, as the language used by these speakers often includes predictable references to arcane business concepts, which are perfect for use in the creation of buzzword bingo cards.
An important element of the game is having the courage to actually yell “Bingo!”. In order to avoid the reprimands that would likely result from doing so, participants may resort to looking at one another and silently mouthing the word “Bingo”. An alternate variation requires the person who has achieved bingo to raise his or her hand and use the word “Bingo” within the context of a comment or question.
An example of a small Buzzword Bingo card:
user-centric
long tail
scalable
strategise
pipeline
milestone
facilitate
bandwidth
benchmark
Creation and Popularization
Buzzword Bingo was invented in 1993 by Silicon Graphics Principle Scientist Tom Davis, in collaboration with Seth Katz.[1] The concept was popularized by a Dilbert comic strip in 1994, in which the characters play during an office meeting.[2]
One documented example occurred when Al Gore, then the Vice President of the United States, known for his liberal use of buzzwords hyping technology, spoke at MIT’s 1996 graduation. Hackers had distributed bingo cards containing buzzwords to the graduating class.[3]
Each player brings three presents to the event. The presents should arrive at the facility wrapped and hidden in a brown paper bag; it is important that no other participant knows which presents each other player brought. After all participants have arrived, the presents are taken out of the undistinguished bags and put in the center of a circle formed by the players.
Before play begins, each participant receives a blank bingo card with 25 squares. Each player then fills in their card by putting any number between 1 and 40 in each empty box. No number should appear more than once on any card.
Play begins as a caller – who can also be playing – picks a number out of a hat. Each person who has that number on their card crosses the number off and selects a present from the center. After each person who had the called number has taken a gift from the center, the caller picks another number. Play continues as before until all of the presents have been selected from the center. At this point with each number called a player must ‘steal’ one from another player.
Play ends when the caller has picked all the numbers. Each player then gets to keep each present that they ended the game with.
A common form of bingo that allows players to select the numbers they wish to mark and monitor for a win. While this game closely resembles Keno, a game which was invented by the Chinese and predates the Han Dynasty, it is recognized as a variant of bingo and permitted in almost all jurisdictions.
Quick Shot bingo
A game where numbers are pre-drawn and players purchase sealed bingo cards which are then matched against the pre-drawn numbers. If a specified pattern is achieved, then the player usually wins a prize according to a prize table. Some versions are played until a player achieves a top level prize and then new numbers are drawn and the game begins anew. This type of bingo may be played over days, weeks or months depending on the difficulty of achieving a top level prize.
Bonanza bingo
Typically 43 numbers are pre-drawn at the beginning of a bingo session. Players purchase sealed cards which are then matched against the predrawn numbers. At a designated time, the caller asks if anyone has bingo. If no one does, the caller then draws one more ball. This game is commonly played as a “progressive” game, where the jackpot increases as more cards are sold. If no one has achieved bingo after the single ball has been drawn, players then hold their cards for the next session of bingo which may take place the following day or following week. Thereafter, each session a single ball is drawn and players may continue to purchase additional sealed cards until someone aceives a cover-all. This version of bingo awards prizes to players who do not have a single number matched from the initial 42 numbers drawn.
Horse Racing bingo
Up to 15 players are randomly issued a number from 1 to 15 which corresponds with the top row of the bingo flashboard. Numbers are then drawn and the first person to have all five numbers in their column be drawn wins. This is a fast paced and exciting form of bingo typically played in fraternal organizations.
Table bingo
With the expansion of Tribal gaming across the US, there are numerous versions of bingo which now emulate the fast action of casino like table games but utilize the principals of bingo where players mark and monitor matrices cards with chips. Casino games like Roulette, Acey Duecy and Money Wheel’s have bingo counterparts which are permitted to be played under bingo licenses in many parts of the country.
Electronic bingo
The advent of computer technology in bingo has blurred the lines between traditional slot machines and bingo slot machines. To the average person, bingo-based slot machines are physically indistinguishable from an RNG based slot machine typically seen in Atlantic City or Las Vegas. Most Native American Tribes which are unable to reach a compact with their state government utilize such bingo machines, as bingo is exempt from state regulation for most federally recognized tribes.
St. Patrick’s Day Bingo
Each player is given different boards with St. Patrick’s day symbols or words on each square. Playing begins when the caller says something like “A symbol of the holiday.” and places the card with the word “Shamrock” If the player has a Shamrock on his or her board he or she have to place some pieces on the square with Shamrock on it. There is also a “Free” space. If they say “A country of St. Patrick’s Day.” and if the player has a line of squares with the words and pieces called they yell “Bingo!” and that player has won.
Valentine bingo
Each Bingo Player is given a Card that contains different valentine related words (instead of numbers) and a pen. The bingo caller who hosts the show will read out the words in a random order from a sheet. The player can then mark off the word if listed in their bingo cards. The card also contains a FREE Space in the middle which can be marked off by the player whenever he needs. The player who achieves the winning pattern first and call out “BINGO” will be declared as the winner. The different words that we use in Valentine Bingo are “wedding, flowers, love, 14th February, hug and so on…”.
Other forms
Buzzword bingo (also called bullshit bingo)
Bovine bingo
Online bingo
Road kill bingo
Lingo, a game show incorporating Bingo mechanics
Slingo, an online game that blends slots and bingo
Bingo America, a game show that uses Bingo that anyone can play.
Themed variants of the traditional game include drag queen bingo, punk rock bingo, and beach blanket bingo.[1]
Bingo parlors in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the game has become quite popular in the last twenty years
In the US, the game is primarily staged by churches or charity organizations. Their legality and stakes vary by state regulation. In some states, bingo halls are rented out to sponsoring organizations, and such halls often run games almost every day. Church-run games, however, are normally weekly affairs held on the church premises. These games are usually played for modest stakes, although the final game of a session is frequently a coverall game that offers a larger jackpot prize for winning within a certain quantity of numbers called; a progressive jackpot may increase per session until it is won.
Commercial bingo games in the US are primarily offered by casinos (and then only in the state of Nevada), and by Native American bingo halls, which are often housed in the same location as Indian run casinos. In Nevada, bingo is usually offered only by casinos that cater to local gamblers, and not the famous tourist resorts. They will usually offer several one-hour sessions, on the odd hours, ie. 9am, 11am, 1pm etc daily, typically from 9am thru 11pm; except Arizona Charlie’s which has round the clock bingo, but still hour sessions,on the odd hour, ie 9am, 11am,1pm etc, with relatively modest stakes except for coverall jackpots. Station Casinos, a chain of locals-oriented casinos in Las Vegas, offers a special game each session, called “Jumbo” that ties all of its properties together with a large progressive jackpot. Most Bingo parlors in Las Vegas use hand held machines on which the games are played, except the station casino, the Fiesta Casino which has paper bingo cards and No machines. Native American games are typically offered for only one or two sessions a day, and are often played for higher stakes than charity games in order to draw players from distant places. Some also offer a special progressive jackpot game that may tie together players from multiple bingo halls.
As well as bingo played “in house”, the larger commercial operators play some games linked by telephone across several, perhaps dozens, of their clubs. This increases the prize money, but greatly reduces the chance of winning due to the much greater number of players.
Bingo halls are sometimes linked together (as by Loto Quebec in Canada) in a network to provide alternative winning structures and bigger prizes.
Bingo is also the basis for online games sold through licensed lotteries. Tickets are sold as for other numbers games, and the players get receipts with their numbers arranged as on a regular bingo card. The daily or weekly draw is normally broadcast on television. These games offer higher prizes and are more difficult to win.
The “bingo logic” is frequently used on scratch card games. The numbers are pre-drawn for each card and hidden until the card is scratched. In lotteries with online networks the price is electronically confirmed to avoid fraud based on physical fixing.
The game of bingo can be traced back to a lottery game called “Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia” played in Italy in c.1530. By the eighteenth century, the game had matured, and in France, playing cards, tokens, the reading out of numbers had been added to the game. In the nineteenth century, Bingo was widely used in Germany for educational purposes to teach children spelling, animal names, and multiplication tables.
At a traveling carnival near Atlanta in 1929, Beano was being played with dried beans, a rubber stamp, and cardboard sheets. Edwin Lowe, was watching this game and noticed how engaged the players were. Lowe took the idea with him to New York where he introduced the game to his friends. He conducted bingo games similar to the ones he had witnessed, using dried beans, a rubber numbering stamp and card board. His friends loved the game. It is said that one of his players made bingo history when he was so excited to have won that he yelled out “Bingo” instead of “Beano.” The Lowe Bingo Game had two versions; the first a 12-card set for $1.00, the second a $2.00 set with 24 cards. Bingo was a wild success. By the 1940s Bingo games were all over the country. Lowe had many competitors and all he asked was that they pay $1.00 a year to conduct the games and to use the name Bingo.
Word origin
The word bingo (referring to a lotto) has its earliest recording from England in 1776.
Waiting/Cased – When someone only needs one number in order to complete the Bingo pattern, he/she is considered to be “Waiting” or “Cased”.
Breaking the Bubble – The bubble is the minimum number of balls required to complete the Bingo pattern. This is the earliest point anyone could have a valid bingo. Example: Winning pattern is 1 hard way bingo, a straight line without the free space. The minimum number of called numbers is 5 although it is not considered “Breaking the Bubble” until 1 number in each column or 5 numbers in a single column have been called.
Jumping the Gun – One who calls bingo before having a valid bingo. The most common situation is someone calling bingo using the next number in the screen before it has been called.
Wild numbers – Many bingo halls will have certain games with a wild number. Wild numbers allow bingo players to start with multiple called numbers. Typically the first ball drawn is the determining factor.
Standard – All numbers ending with the second digit of the first number. Example: First ball is 22. All numbers ending in a 2 including B2 is considered a called number.
Forwards/backwards – All numbers beginning or ending with the wild number. Example: First ball is 22. All numbers beginning or ending with a 2 is considered a called number. If the first ball ends with an 8, 9 or 0, another number may be drawn as there are no numbers starting with a 8 or 9 and only 9 numbers starting with a zero. Some halls will also redraw a number ending with a 7 as there are only 5 numbers beginning with a 7.
False Alarm – Term used when one calls bingo but is mistaken. This could be because of mishearing the caller or stamping the wrong number by mistake. If one calls a falsie, they genuinely believe they have a bingo. Also known as a “social error”. Another term used for this is a “bongo.”
A typical bingo dauber or bingo marker, which is commonly used by bingo players at bingo halls across the U.S.
Single games often have multiple bingos; for example, the players first plays for a single line; after that, play goes on until a full card is called; then, play continues for a consolation full card.
Players often play multiple cards for each game; 30 is not an unusual number. Because of the large numbers of cards played by each player, most halls have the players sit at tables to which they often fasten their cards with adhesive tape. To mark cards faster the players usually use special markers called daubers. At commercial halls, after calling the number the caller then displays the next number on a television monitor; bingo cannot be called until that number is called aloud, however.
Bingo is often used as an instructional tool in American primary schools and in teaching English as a foreign language in many countries. Typically, the numbers are replaced with beginning reader words (such as those drawn from the Dolch word lists), pictures, or unsolved math problems. Recently many teachers have taken to using software to automate the creation of bingo cards, as it is slow and laborious to do it by hand for large numbers of cards.
The numbers which are called in a game of bingo, may be drawn utilizing a number of methods to randomly generating the ball call. With the expansion of computer technology in bingo, electronic random number generators are now common place in most jurisdictions. However, some jurisdictions require mechanical ball draws which may utilize a randomly shuffled deck of bingo calling cards, a mechanical ball blower that mixes ping pong balls with blown air or a cage which is turned to mix small wooden balls. All methods essentially generate a random string of numbers by which players match to their bingo cards.
A typical American bingo card (showing with yellow dots some of the numbers selected)
The most common Bingo cards are flat pieces of cardboard or disposable paper which contain 25 squares arranged in five vertical columns and five horizontal rows. In addition, Dual dab, or “double-action” cards have two numbers in each square. Each space in the grid contains a number, except there may be one or more “Free” spaces, which are considered filled. Typically the game is played utilizing 75 numbers. The letters B, I, N, G, O are pre-printed above the five vertical columns, with one letter appearing above each column. The center space may be marked “Free”. The printed numbers on the card commonly correspond to the following arrangement: 1 to 15 in the B column; 16 to 30 in the I column; 31 to 45 in the N column; 46 to 60 in the G column and 61 to 75 in the O column, but in some cases, there can be the numbers (1-75) in any of the columns. In U-Pick’Em bingo and other variants of bingo, players are issued three 25 number cards which contain all 75 numbers that may be drawn. Players then mark which numbers they wish to play and then daub those numbers according to the numbers drawn.
There are about 5.52*1026, (exactly 155 × 145 × 135 × 125 × 114) possible arrangements of the numbers on a bingo card.
The most chips one can place on a Bingo board without having a Bingo is 19, not counting the free space. In order for this to happen, only one empty cell can reside in each row and each column, and at least one empty cell must be in each diagonal, for instance:
O O _ O O
O _ O O O
O O F O _
O O O _ O
_ O O O O
Note: in addition to a straight line, many bingo halls consider other patterns as a valid “bingo”, usually in special games. For example, in the illustration above, the 2×2 square of marked squares in the upper right-hand corner would be considered a “postage stamp”. Another common special game requires players to cover the four corners.
Since the introduction of the electronic Random Number Generator (RNG) in Bingo Halls in the UK, the usage of the nicknames above in mainstream Bingo has dramatically decreased. Bingo with an electronic RNG is much less time consuming and it has been discovered that replacing the nicknames with a simple repetition (in the pattern “All the fives, fifty five” or “Two and four, twenty four”), has allowed bingo halls to focus on the more lucrative business of Mechanised Cash Bingo (MCB), known in Gala Bingo Clubs as Party Bingo, Mecca Bingo Clubs as Cashline & most independent clubs refer to it as either the two previously mentioned names or ‘table top’ (relating to the fact that the boards are usually built into the table in front of the player) or ‘Mini Cash Bingo’.
It is perhaps nostalgic to note that the usage of these nicknames tends to be greater where the focus of playing bingo is upon fun rather than big business; this includes British holiday resort chains such as Haven, British Holidays and Pontins, and also church halls, social clubs etc.
Bingo originates from the Italian lottery, Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia. From Italy, the game spread to France and was known as Le Lotto, played by the French aristocracy. Bingo as we know it today was used in 19th century Germany as an educational tool to teach children multiplication tables, spelling and even history.
A typical “dabber” or “dauber”, used for both U.S. and U.K. bingo tickets
In New Zealand and Australia, housie is often used as a fund raiser by churches, sports teams, and other groups, and raffles are sold before the game.
Bingo, which used to be known as Housey Housey in the United Kingdom, is an expanding and highly profitable business, with many companies competing for the customers’ money. It too is often organised by churches, charities and social and sports clubs as a way to raise funds.
The three largest companies with bingo halls in the United Kingdom are:
Mecca Bingo Ltd. (part of The Rank Group plc)
Gala Bingo (Gala Coral Group Ltd.)
In Northern Ireland, one of the largest bingo club groups is the Planet Bingo Group, with seven clubs in the following towns/cities:
Online Bingo is also becoming increasingly popular with many different companies launching sites including Ladbrokes and The Sun.
As well as offering the familiar Housie/Bingo played by marking numbered books, most large clubs have their tables modified for the playing of Cash Housie or Mechanised Cash Bingo [Parti Bingo] (using coin slots or, increasingly in the 21st century, an electronic credit system). This is highly profitable for the operator, with a typical “take” of fifty percent of the stake.
Mechanised cash bingo differs from paper bingo, because it is played on a plastic bingo board, that is 4×4 square, and split up into four columns of colours. The customer chooses when they want to play, and insert a credit into a coin slot. The company involved will then use a computer (called a stage rig controller) to automatically take a “participation fee” which is set by the operator (usually between 40% and 60%). The rest of the credit is then put into the prize pool to be played for. There are only 80 numbers in play. The numbers are called a lot faster by the caller (usually around 1.5 seconds a number) and when a customer has a winning combination they press a claim button to stop the game. This is profitable for the operator as the games are so fast, and a huge parfee can be made in a few minutes. Winning combinations are usually any line down, across, diagonal, four corners or four centre squares.
In Northern Ireland bingo clubs, where the laws governing bingo games are different from in England, Scotland and Wales, it is common, when playing “parti bingo” for the caller to announce that a position or “card” has won, and ending the game, without the participation of the person playing. This enables the customer to play more positions in hope of a better chance of winning.
A typical bingo ticket is shown above. It contains twenty-seven spaces, arranged in nine columns by three rows. Each row contains five numbers and four blank spaces. Each column contains either one, two, or very rarely three, numbers:
The first column contains numbers from 1 to 9,
The second column numbers from 10 to 19,
The third 20 to 29 and so on up until the last column, which contains numbers from 80 to 90 (the 90 being placed in this column as well).
The game is presided over by a caller, whose job it is to call out the numbers and validate winning tickets. S/he will announce the prize or prizes for each game before starting. The caller will then usually say “Eyes down” to indicate that he is about to start. S/he then begins to call numbers as they are randomly selected, either by an electronic Random Number Generator (RNG), by drawing counters from a bag or by using balls in a mechanical draw machine. Calling may take the format of simple repetition in the framework, “Both the fives, fifty five”, or “Two and three, twenty three”, but some numbers have special calls due to their significance.
The different winning combinations are:
Line — covering a horizontal line of five numbers on the ticket.
Two Lines — covering any two lines on the same ticket.
Full House — covering all fifteen numbers on the ticket.
In New Zealand in bonus (Super Housie) games, often three lines may be claimed – top, middle and bottom, usually with much larger prizes, are also played at various times throughout the session.
In the UK, however, it is most common for a line game to be followed directly by a two line game and a full house game, or just by a full house game.
In the UK’s National Bingo Game only a full house game is ever played. The record payout for the national bingo game was £950,000.
In all cases, the last number called must be in the winning sequence. If a player does not stop the game in time and the caller calls out the next number the player’s winning claim is often invalidated.
When players first come to the venue (often a church hall, rugby club or other place with sufficient tables and chairs, including in the UK many specifically designed bingo clubs) they can buy a book of tickets. Players generally play between one and six books. In New Zealand a book usually contains fifty tickets which are played over the course of the night. In UK bingo clubs, playing is divided into sessions with different books, each with a designated number of pages. Players in the UK usually prefer to buy books of six tickets containing all possible numbers in different combinations.
As each number is called, players check to see if that number appears on their tickets. If it does, they will mark it with a special marker called a “dabber” or a “dauber”, shown here. When all the numbers required to win a prize have been marked off, the player shouts in order to attract the caller’s attention. There are no formal rules as to what can be shouted, but most players will shout “Yes” or “Bingo”. Some players may also choose to shout “Line” or “House” depending on the prize, whilst others choose to shout “house” for any win (including a line or two lines), players may use any other call to attract the callers attention (should they wish). An official or member of staff will then come and check the claim:
In the UK with the increasing computerization of bingo systems, an Auto-Validate system is often used in large clubs where a 1 to 8 digit security code is read out by a member of staff and checked against the entry for that ticket on the system. This saves the club from the time-consuming exercise of reading out every number on the ticket.
In smaller clubs, however, each number in the winning combination must be read out. The caller will check to see if each number has been called, and if it has, he will say something similar to “House correct – please pay out”.
There will often be an interval halfway through the game. In Australia and New Zealand Super Housie tickets are played and raffles (if there are any) are drawn. In UK bingo halls it is most common for Mechanised Cash Bingo to be played
Bingo, Housey Housey (former name in United Kingdom) or Housie (New Zealand and Australia) is a gambling game of unknown origin.[1] Players mark off numbers on a ticket as they are randomly called out, in order to achieve a winning combination.
It is not to be confused with the similar American version of Bingo, as the tickets and the calling are slightly different.
Genre Game show
Maybe you’ve seen that scene in “My Girl” where a group of senior citizens and a rare handful of others are playing a rather boring and predictable game of bingo. Everyone is hunched over their cards while the caller says, “G-39…G-39”, prompting an onslaught of markers purposefully and carefully pressing the revered number. Time to get that picture out of your mind: bingo has been revamped – almost beyond recognition.
The National Bingo Game, is a bingo game operated by the National Bingo Game Association since 1986 and played in some British bingo clubs. At one time more than 500 bingo clubs participated in the game every night (except Christmas Day).
A typical American bingo card (showing with yellow dots some of the numbers selected)
A typical housie/Bingo ticket
