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Bingo! It is a word that will stir the hearts of people everywhere. An old joke goes, "What’s the one word you love to say but hate to hear someone else say?" And the answer is, of course, Bingo! Alive and well in the snowbird country of Florida and Arizona, Bingo also thrives on Indian reservations and in church basements. There’s even a McDonald’s that offers Bingo one afternoon a week to anyone who cares to participate while munching their French fries or hamburger. A lot of internet websites offer online bingo to potential players.
It’s impossible to imagine anyone in the free world not knowing how Bingo works, but just in case you are that one exception, here’s a brief overview. Each player has a card (or if you’re brave, several cards) on which are twenty-four random numbers between 1 and 75, along with one free spot, placed in a square of five columns by five rows.
The Caller draws numbers randomly out of a churning bin, one at a time, and calls out the number he has drawn to the breathlessly waiting crowd. Any player having that number quickly covers it on their card. When a player covers all the numbers in a row on their card, they shout ‘Bingo’, play stops, the numbers are verified and the player receives his just reward while all the losers moan and grumble.
Variations of this game are common in Bingo parlours across the country and more are probably being drawn up by the day. In most places money is the prize of choice. To raise the prize money, Bingo cards are sold to the players for a nominal fee, so your chances of winning are somewhat tied to how much you want to spend on purchasing cards.
Other than the cards, there are items of Bingo paraphernalia that many feel are a necessity rather than an option. First, you will need something to cover numbers with and a dauber works well. This is something like a felt-tipped pen with a large head which makes quick work of covering numbers. The entire game depends a lot on a player’s luck so small dolls, animals, or other critters come along and are arrayed around the player to lure in Lady Luck. You may want to bring a pencil in case some of the games played are a bit complicated so you can mark the winning design you’re going for on your card.
A few unwritten rules go with Bingo, and it is very important to remember and heed them. The most important rule is that once calling of numbers begins, all chatting among players must immediately stop lest some other player miss a called number and therefore his chance of winning. The second rule is that you should learn to yell ‘Bingo!’ in a loud voice so you can be heard over the chattering that has begun when players are close to a win.
If you’re thinking, "But the first rule said don't chat", you’re right. However, when players see the possibility of money looming in front of them, they simply are unable to stifle themselves any longer. Thus the need for the second rule. So practice being quiet, practice yelling ‘Bingo’, and go out there and have some fun winning those big bucks! |
About the Author
If you want to play a variety of online bingo games, visit the online bingo website Littlewoodsbingo.com.
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