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. See here examples of bingo
patterns.
A multiple book has 6 single books. Each page in a multiple book
has 6 cards of the same color. 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 it’s 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.
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
people’s 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 Bingo game has always been popular with the public. The main
reason why people play the game is because it is fun. There are
no complicated rules to learn or strategies to follow. The
player just covers the numbers as they are called and hopes to
be the first to complete the required pattern and win the game.
Bingo provides the player with a cheap alternative to other game
halls, and nothing beats the satisfaction of yelling BINGO! The
friendships that spark in Bingo halls are usually long lasting,
and based on the camaraderie of this simple, yet fantastic game.
But sometimes going to a is not an option. Sometimes factors
like family, work and even illness can make it impossible to go
to a Bingo hall. This is where online bingo becomes a great
alternative. In fact, many players prefer online Bingo to Bingo
halls because it is comfortable and entertaining. Players do not
have to leave their homes and deal with factors like distance
and weather, making Bingo playing and enjoying easy and
accessible to everyone.
Online Bingo holds other advantages over regular Bingo. You do
not have to daub every number called or miss out. Online Bingo
allows for your cards to be daubed automatically, allowing to
play a bigger number of cards per game, and leaving you free to
chat to your heart’s content with others that love this game as
you do, which is something you could not really do in a Bingo
hall.
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