Вы, вероятно, научились играть в бинго в детстве, но волнение от того, что вы первым кричите «Бинго!» не заканчивается в начальной школе. Новые тенденции, такие как электронное бинго и онлайн-бинго, открывают игру для новой аудитории, в то время как некоторые по-прежнему предпочитают традиционный зал бинго с бумажными картами и мазками.
Некоторые считают, что ключом к победе в бинго является удача и суеверие, в то время как другие считают, что секрет успеха заключается в продвинутых стратегиях игры в бинго и «играх на шансы». Какой бы ни была ваша стратегия, вам необходимо знать наши основные правила и этикет.
Содержание
- История бинго
- Призы и джекпоты Бинго
- Оборудование для бинго
- Правила бинго и этикет
- Советы по игре в бинго
- Справочник мест для игры в бинго
- Продвинутые стратегии бинго
- Понимание шансов бинго
- Бинго Удача и суеверия
- Как играть в онлайн-бинго
- Советы по онлайн-бинго
- Каталог веб-сайтов бинго
- Как играть в электронное бинго
История бинго
В то время как бинго стало популярным в Соединенных Штатах в начале двадцатого века, корни игры уходят в 1530 год. Именно тогда в Италии была запущена государственная лотерея под названием «Lo Gioco del Lotto d’Italia». (Интересно, что даже по сей день вы все еще можете играть в это лото каждую субботу.) Французы начали играть в лотерею в конце 1700-х годов. В одной версии использовалась игральная карта с девятью столбцами и тремя строками, с четырьмя свободными местами в строке.
Звонивший полез в сумку и вынул деревянные щепки с номерами от 1 до 90 (от 1 до 10 для первого столбца, от 11 до 20 для второго и так далее). Выигрывал тот, кто первым закроет весь ряд. Эти лотерейные игры в бинго вскоре стали повальным увлечением по всей Европе.
Бинго в том виде, в каком мы его знаем сегодня, популяризировал Эдвин С. Лоу, борющийся, но предприимчивый продавец игрушек из Нью-Йорка. Лоу наблюдал за игрой под названием «Бино» на деревенском карнавале в Атланте, штат Джорджия. Игра называлась Beano, потому что игроки использовали сушеные бобы, чтобы помечать свои карты по мере выпадения чисел. Когда игрок завершал ряд чисел, он или она останавливали игру, крича «Бино!», И этот игрок выигрывал небольшой приз.
Лоу видел, что игроки увлечены игрой. Сам Лоу был настолько очарован этой новой игрой, что принес ее домой и представил своим друзьям. Во время одной игры женщина была так взволнована своей победой, что выпалила: «Бинго!» вместо принятого крика.
Так и родилось бинго. «Бинго Лоу» имело огромный успех, и к середине 1930-х игры в бинго стали появляться по всей стране, отчасти потому, что церкви и общественные клубы быстро осознали потенциал сбора средств.
Сегодня 48 штатов (и более 100 резерваций коренных американцев) в той или иной степени предлагают легальное бинго. Игры варьируются от достаточно маленьких, чтобы поместиться в церковном подвале, до достаточно больших, чтобы вместить зал на 1800 мест. В этой статье мы обсудим основное оборудование и правила, используемые в бинго, и дадим вам советы о том, как улучшить вашу стратегию. Если вы ищете больше мест с новыми игроками, мы покажем вам, где искать. Если вы не уверены, кто будет вашим соперником или какие призы могут быть поставлены на карту, ознакомьтесь с обзором ниже.
Игроки в бинго представляют все слои общества. Не существует стереотипного игрока в бинго. Большинству нравится общаться, поэтому они ходят в бинго, и им также могут нравиться другие соревновательные групповые занятия, такие как боулинг, которые сочетают в себе веселье и дружбу. Опросы показывают, что большинство постоянных игроков старше 45 лет, но молодые люди каждый день открывают для себя бинго как новый способ общения. И мужчинам, и женщинам нравится играть в эту игру, будь то сами по себе, с супругом или другом. Суть? Бинго — это развлечение для всех.
Призы и джекпоты Бинго
Обычный приз в бинго - наличные, от 50 или 100 долларов за простое бинго в небольшом зале до 1 миллиона долларов или более в специальных играх с высокими ставками в резервациях коренных американцев или в казино. Но призом может быть и машина, и поездка, и даже призы-новинки (в Нью-Йорке один ресторан дарит счастливчикам маргариты).
Размер типичного джекпота зависит от того, сколько денег поступает. Большинство залов обязаны выплачивать не менее 50–60 процентов денег, которые они получают. Аналогичным образом, общая сумма денег, которую они могут выдать за игру или сеанс, часто ограничено государственными или местными правилами. В Джорджии, например, залы не могут выдать больше 1100 долларов за одну ночь, хотя многие штаты более щедры. Луизиана, например, позволяет 4500 долларов за сеанс.
Прогрессивный джекпот — это приз, который растет от игры к игре, пока кто-нибудь его не выиграет. Заведение начинает прогрессивную игру, «внося в банк» привлекательную сумму денег — скажем, 500 долларов — вместо того, чтобы просто устанавливать джекпот в виде процента от продаж карт. Чтобы выиграть в прогрессивной игре, у игрока должен быть экстраординарный выигрыш, например, затемнение (закрытие каждого места на карте бинго) всего за 49 шаров. Если никто не выигрывает, казино добавляет дополнительные деньги, чтобы еще больше подсластить банк. Джекпот может быть увеличен на 100 долларов за игру в течение нескольких сессий или недель.
Иногда прогрессивный джекпот становится настолько большим, что зал бинго по закону должен его ограничить, и приз остается на том же уровне, пока кто-нибудь не выиграет. В некоторых штатах, таких как Мичиган, нет ограничений на сумму денег, которую игрок может выиграть в прогрессивном бинго.
Популярность крупных призов позволила бинго превратиться в более прибыльные игры. Самым захватывающим новым явлением в мире бинго является распространение игр с высокими ставками. Буквально десятки залов изо всех сил пытаются организовать игры, которые обещают выплату 50 000, 100 000 или даже 1 миллион долларов какому-нибудь счастливчику. Джекпоты настолько велики, что некоторые владельцы залов оформляют страховые полисы, чтобы не разориться!
Некоторые из суперджекпотов настроены как «пошаговые игры», в которых в игре выплачиваются разные суммы в зависимости от того, как быстро победитель отключается. Например, при отключении 49 номеров можно получить 50 000 долларов, а при отключении только 45 номеров можно заработать 100 000 долларов. Поскольку очень трудно добиться отключения электроэнергии за такое небольшое количество звонков, могут пройти недели или даже месяцы, прежде чем кто-нибудь выиграет.
Суперджекпоты обычно можно выиграть во время определенных сессий. Например, в развлекательном центре Thunderbird в Нормане, штат Оклахома, есть игра с выплатой 100 000 долларов, предлагающая шесть сеансов в неделю - пять вечеров и один день. Для того, чтобы выиграть этот или другие суперджекпоты, игрокам, как правило, нужно получить специальный рисунок в течение определенного количества звонков, а затем им, возможно, придется сыграть в другую азартную игру, например, крутить колесо или брать конверт с призовой доски. .
Как вы можете себе представить, шансы на победу довольно малы, поэтому могут пройти недели, месяцы или годы, прежде чем кто-то получит главный приз. Опять же, кто-то может выиграть его в первой игре первой сессии в первый день, когда он предлагается.
Игроки, выигравшие крупное бинго в супер-джекпоте, не просто уходят с крупным чеком. Во-первых, шары для бинго собираются и отправляются в независимую испытательную лабораторию, чтобы убедиться в отсутствии фальсификации, а страховая компания просматривает видеозапись безопасности. Чек обычно срезают примерно через 48 часов после выигрыша. Если джекпот меньше 100 000 долларов, он может быть выплачен единовременно, но более крупные джекпоты обычно выплачиваются в виде ежегодных выплат.
Спутниковое бинго — это еще один способ, которым залы бинго могут предложить более крупные джекпоты. Это связанная игра в бинго, в которую играют одновременно в бинго-залах в определенной зоне. Внешняя компания связывает залы бинго через спутник (отсюда и название игры!). Призы в сателлитных играх в бинго часто намного больше, чем могут предложить отдельные залы. Спутниковое бинго можно найти только в некоторых штатах, таких как Вашингтон, где главный приз в вечерних играх составляет 50 000 долларов.
Если вы заинтересованы в том, чтобы вернуться домой с некоторыми из этих сладких выигрышей, важно, чтобы вы понимали основы игры. В следующем разделе мы рассмотрим игровое оборудование и то, как оно используется.
Оборудование для бинго
Знание основ является ключом к раскрытию азарта бинго. Если вы уже играли раньше, вам может показаться, что вы уже все знаете... но сколько вы упустили? Приведенная ниже информация вновь познакомит вас с оборудованием для игры в бинго и с тем, как оно используется.
Бинго — это, по сути, азартная игра. Игроки используют карты, состоящие из пяти столбцов по пять квадратов в каждом, причем каждый квадрат содержит число (кроме среднего квадрата, который обозначен как «СВОБОДНОЕ» место). Цель состоит в том, чтобы прислушаться к числам, которые появляются на карточках, которые нужно назвать. Когда кто-то называется, игрок отмечает квадрат. Победителем становится тот, кто первым заполнит заданный шаблон из отмеченных чисел.
Столбцы помечены буквами B, I, N, G и O. Буквы всегда содержат определенный диапазон чисел, как показано ниже.
Игроки Cards
Bingo покупают картонные карты или одноразовые листы, на которых напечатана одна или несколько лицевых сторон. Тип используемых игровых карт сильно различается в зависимости от зала. В некоторых залах до сих пор используются традиционные картонные «жесткие карты» или «ночные доски», на которые можно нанести фишки, жетоны или монеты. Но в большинстве залов сегодня используются одноразовые полоски или листы бумажных карточек, содержащие определенное количество лиц, например, шесть (известные как 6-on) или три (3-on).
Процесс покупки карт называется «бай-ин», или, другими словами, вы платите деньги вперед, чтобы купить карты, которые будут использоваться во время определенного сеанса. Иногда оплата производится за односторонние, отдельные карты, но чаще оплата производится за отрывные одноразовые листы бумаги, содержащие несколько лицевых сторон карты. Ожидайте потратить от 1 до 20 долларов за минимальный бай-ин.
Вот некоторые из наиболее популярных звонков:
Legs Eleven для B-11
Sweet Sixteen для I-16
Two Little Ducks (Quack, Quack) для I-22
Any Way You Can Get It для O-69
Звонящий
A person known as the "caller" picks the numbers from a basket or blower and announces them to the players. It's also the caller's responsibility to announce the pattern of the game before calling the first ball. There are literally dozens of patterns from which to choose, and the pattern call changes from game to game. The two most common patterns are straight-line bingo and coverall, or blackout.
Straight-line bingo: In the simplest version, a player gets "bingo" with a five-number straight line stretching from one end of the card to the other. The line can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. The straight line may include the free space, in which case the player would only need to have four numbers called.
Coverall: Also called blackout, coverall is a typical jackpot game. The goal is to cover every number on the card within a certain number of calls. In a 49-number coverall, a coverall must occur within 49 calls, or else the game is over and nobody wins.
The Numbers
The caller selects each ball at random, sometimes from an electrically operated blower machine similar to what's used to call state lotteries, or else from an old-time mechanical or manually operated cage. The blower may have a trap that automatically catches one or more balls at a time while the machine is running. A rush of air blows balls into a chute, then the bingo caller selects the first one and announces the letter/number combination to all of the players.
There are 75 balls in the machine, and each one is printed with a letter from the word "bingo" and a number from 1 to 75. All of the balls are essentially the same size, shape, weight, and balance, so that during the bingo game, each ball has an equal chance of being pulled.
Once a number is called, the ball may be displayed on a closed-circuit television system with monitors around the room. Then, the corresponding light on the big overhead scoreboard is activated. The scoreboard, which may also display a lighted diagram of the pattern in play, is there so players can keep track of numbers already called. Some halls still have an old, nonelectric tote board that serves the same purpose.
After the numbers are announced and put on the scoreboard, you need to know how to mark your cards.
The Daubers
As each number is called, players scan their cards, and if they have the number, they mark it with a token or a dauber (a special penlike ink stamper). The easiest way to mark a disposable paper card is to use a dauber. Daubers have become an essential tool of the modern bingo player. To use the dauber, players simply remove the cap and press the wide, foam-rubber tip firmly on the square containing the called number, producing a large, round color smudge. The advantages of the dauber are that it's quick, permanent (nobody bumping the table is going to send your chips flying), and easy to see, so you can ignore marked boxes and concentrate on the rest of the card.
Dauber trends: For dauber ink, it's purple -- that's according to BK Entertainment, a bingo supply company that sells more than 40 billion bingo cards a year. Daubers typically contain 21/2 to 4 ounces of ink, which is offered in a variety of colors, including blue, red, green, magenta, teal, and, of course, purple. That's enough colors for a six-pack, which some players in fact do keep with them -- one for each game in a session. The trend is now toward bolder, richer colors, such as bright orange. New fast-dry inks are available to keep players from messing up their hands and shirtsleeves. Wondering what to get your favorite bingo aficionado? Dauber four-packs make a thoughtful present!
When you have your equipment in place, you are almost ready to play. In the next section, we'll look at the basic rules and etiquette to prepare you for almost any bingo game.
Бинго — это, по сути, азартная игра. Игроки используют карты, состоящие из пяти столбцов по пять квадратов в каждом, причем каждый квадрат содержит число (кроме среднего квадрата, который обозначен как «СВОБОДНОЕ» место). Цель состоит в том, чтобы прислушаться к числам, которые появляются на карточках, которые нужно назвать. Когда кто-то называется, игрок отмечает квадрат. Победителем становится тот, кто первым заполнит заданный шаблон из отмеченных чисел.
Столбцы помечены буквами B, I, N, G и O. Буквы всегда содержат определенный диапазон чисел, как показано ниже.
| ОСНОВЫ КАРТЫ БИНГО |
| Письмо столбца |
Числа |
| Б | от 1 до 15 |
| я | от 16 до 30 |
| Н | от 31 до 45 |
| грамм | от 46 до 60 |
| О | от 61 до 75 |
Игроки Cards
Bingo покупают картонные карты или одноразовые листы, на которых напечатана одна или несколько лицевых сторон. Тип используемых игровых карт сильно различается в зависимости от зала. В некоторых залах до сих пор используются традиционные картонные «жесткие карты» или «ночные доски», на которые можно нанести фишки, жетоны или монеты. Но в большинстве залов сегодня используются одноразовые полоски или листы бумажных карточек, содержащие определенное количество лиц, например, шесть (известные как 6-on) или три (3-on).
Процесс покупки карт называется «бай-ин», или, другими словами, вы платите деньги вперед, чтобы купить карты, которые будут использоваться во время определенного сеанса. Иногда оплата производится за односторонние, отдельные карты, но чаще оплата производится за отрывные одноразовые листы бумаги, содержащие несколько лицевых сторон карты. Ожидайте потратить от 1 до 20 долларов за минимальный бай-ин.
Вот некоторые из наиболее популярных звонков:
Legs Eleven для B-11
Sweet Sixteen для I-16
Two Little Ducks (Quack, Quack) для I-22
Any Way You Can Get It для O-69
Звонящий
A person known as the "caller" picks the numbers from a basket or blower and announces them to the players. It's also the caller's responsibility to announce the pattern of the game before calling the first ball. There are literally dozens of patterns from which to choose, and the pattern call changes from game to game. The two most common patterns are straight-line bingo and coverall, or blackout.
Straight-line bingo: In the simplest version, a player gets "bingo" with a five-number straight line stretching from one end of the card to the other. The line can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. The straight line may include the free space, in which case the player would only need to have four numbers called.
Coverall: Also called blackout, coverall is a typical jackpot game. The goal is to cover every number on the card within a certain number of calls. In a 49-number coverall, a coverall must occur within 49 calls, or else the game is over and nobody wins.
The Numbers
The caller selects each ball at random, sometimes from an electrically operated blower machine similar to what's used to call state lotteries, or else from an old-time mechanical or manually operated cage. The blower may have a trap that automatically catches one or more balls at a time while the machine is running. A rush of air blows balls into a chute, then the bingo caller selects the first one and announces the letter/number combination to all of the players.
There are 75 balls in the machine, and each one is printed with a letter from the word "bingo" and a number from 1 to 75. All of the balls are essentially the same size, shape, weight, and balance, so that during the bingo game, each ball has an equal chance of being pulled.
Once a number is called, the ball may be displayed on a closed-circuit television system with monitors around the room. Then, the corresponding light on the big overhead scoreboard is activated. The scoreboard, which may also display a lighted diagram of the pattern in play, is there so players can keep track of numbers already called. Some halls still have an old, nonelectric tote board that serves the same purpose.
After the numbers are announced and put on the scoreboard, you need to know how to mark your cards.
The Daubers
As each number is called, players scan their cards, and if they have the number, they mark it with a token or a dauber (a special penlike ink stamper). The easiest way to mark a disposable paper card is to use a dauber. Daubers have become an essential tool of the modern bingo player. To use the dauber, players simply remove the cap and press the wide, foam-rubber tip firmly on the square containing the called number, producing a large, round color smudge. The advantages of the dauber are that it's quick, permanent (nobody bumping the table is going to send your chips flying), and easy to see, so you can ignore marked boxes and concentrate on the rest of the card.
Dauber trends: For dauber ink, it's purple -- that's according to BK Entertainment, a bingo supply company that sells more than 40 billion bingo cards a year. Daubers typically contain 21/2 to 4 ounces of ink, which is offered in a variety of colors, including blue, red, green, magenta, teal, and, of course, purple. That's enough colors for a six-pack, which some players in fact do keep with them -- one for each game in a session. The trend is now toward bolder, richer colors, such as bright orange. New fast-dry inks are available to keep players from messing up their hands and shirtsleeves. Wondering what to get your favorite bingo aficionado? Dauber four-packs make a thoughtful present!
When you have your equipment in place, you are almost ready to play. In the next section, we'll look at the basic rules and etiquette to prepare you for almost any bingo game.
Bingo Rules and Etiquette
What happens when somebody gets the bingo card pattern? The customary way to announce that you've won is simply to yell "Bingo!" loud enough for the caller to hear. Once bingo is called, an assistant (sometimes called a floor walker) will come to the table right away to verify the bingo.
The floor walker will call out the winning numbers for the caller to verify or, in fancier setups, will simply call out an identification number on the card, which the caller punches into a computer that automatically verifies or rejects the bingo. Depending on where you play, the winning bingo card may be posted for the remainder of the night so other players can inspect it. Disputes are not that common -- either you bingo or you don't -- but when discrepancies pop up, the bingo manager usually has the final say.
If two people call bingo on the same number, the jackpot is split evenly between them. Likewise, if three people call it, the house divides the pot three ways.
Common Rules
Since no two bingo halls operate exactly the same way, it's a good idea to read the posted rules thoroughly before the session begins. Be sure to look for special handouts; any extra printed rules for the night supersede what is posted.
Whatever you do, don't try to alter a bingo card! It's not worth it, and no experienced bingo manager or caller will fall for it. Many, if not most, halls will be happy to make an example of anyone caught cheating, prosecuting to the full extent of the law. Play it safe by following the rules and being honest. Below are some common rules you may encounter:
The floor walker will call out the winning numbers for the caller to verify or, in fancier setups, will simply call out an identification number on the card, which the caller punches into a computer that automatically verifies or rejects the bingo. Depending on where you play, the winning bingo card may be posted for the remainder of the night so other players can inspect it. Disputes are not that common -- either you bingo or you don't -- but when discrepancies pop up, the bingo manager usually has the final say.
If two people call bingo on the same number, the jackpot is split evenly between them. Likewise, if three people call it, the house divides the pot three ways.
Common Rules
Since no two bingo halls operate exactly the same way, it's a good idea to read the posted rules thoroughly before the session begins. Be sure to look for special handouts; any extra printed rules for the night supersede what is posted.
Whatever you do, don't try to alter a bingo card! It's not worth it, and no experienced bingo manager or caller will fall for it. Many, if not most, halls will be happy to make an example of anyone caught cheating, prosecuting to the full extent of the law. Play it safe by following the rules and being honest. Below are some common rules you may encounter:
- In most halls, players must be 18 years of age or older.
- Some halls prohibit alcoholic beverages, while others will sell beer along with soft drinks. Outside food and drinks are usually frowned upon, since most establishments want you to buy their hot dogs, chips, and soda.
- During special high-stakes games, management may prohibit players from entering and leaving the hall.
- Reserving specific cards may not be allowed.
- Typically, people are not allowed to sit and watch while friends or relatives play; each seated person may be required to have their own buy-in. Some halls may require seated players to have an attendance ticket in plain view while they play.
- If a player has bingo, it's up to him or her to stop play before the next number is called by announcing "bingo!" loud enough for the caller to hear. It's important to know that bingo must be claimed on the most-recent number called. If the caller has already started announcing the next ball, it's too late to call bingo. Likewise, as soon as the caller closes the game and drops the balls for the next game, any missed bingos become invalid.
Один практический момент: возьмите с собой удостоверение личности с фотографией на случай, если вы попадете в крупную аварию. Для крупных джекпотов игрокам, возможно, придется также предъявить карту социального обеспечения и заполнить формы отчетности о доходах и налогах на месте. Также зал может оставить за собой право публиковать победителей или выигрышные карты.
Этикет
бинго Игроки в бинго очень дружелюбны, они будут более чем рады обсудить с вами любые проблемы с бинго, которые могут у вас возникнуть. Но не забывайте, что вы на их территории. Мисс Мэннерс особо нечего сказать о бинго, поэтому вот несколько советов, которым нужно следовать, чтобы не наступить на пальцы ног, пока вы идете по залу бинго.
Снизить тон. Самое важное из всех неписаных правил. Вы заметите, что обычные игроки сразу же замолкают, как только звонящий переходит к делу.
Остерегайтесь счастливых мест . Некоторые игроки очень разборчивы в том, где они сидят. Если вы займете место, которое окажется удачным, вас могут попросить пересесть. Это хорошая идея, чтобы согласиться с запросом.
Не будь попугаем. Некоторые люди имеют привычку повторять цифры, когда их называют. Это может помочь им сконцентрироваться, но может сильно отвлекать других игроков. Старайтесь продолжать говорить и свести к абсолютному минимуму дополнительный шум во время вызова номеров.
Держите детей в покое.Большинство людей поймут, если вам придется взять с собой детей, но они не потерпят, чтобы буйная молодежь бегала и кричала, пока они пытаются сосредоточиться. Принесите занятие или три, чтобы ваши дети были заняты, пока вы играете. Иногда зал может предлагать «забавные» карты бинго, чтобы занять детей.
Не вымещайте свое недовольство на звонящем. Известно, что иногда игроки, проигравшие полосу, выражают свое неудовольствие, выкрикивая «смените звонящего» или делая другие насмешливые или саркастические комментарии, которые может услышать звонящий. Остынь! Звонящий не может управлять судьбой. Если есть реальная проблема со звонящим, попробуйте громко, но вежливо сказать: «Громче, пожалуйста» или «Помедленнее, пожалуйста». Если это не сработает, обратитесь к менеджеру бинго.
Вызов бинго останавливает ход игры. Если это ложное бинго, обычные игроки могут разозлиться на вас, особенно если они уже начали в отчаянии комкать листы бумаги из последней игры.
Курите только в специально отведенных местах. Курение и бинго неразделимы в сознании многих энтузиастов, и на самом деле залы для бинго могут быть последними крытыми заведениями в Америке, которые принимают курильщиков. Но некоторым игрокам сигаретный дым может испортить удовольствие от игры или даже вызвать тошноту, особенно в плохо проветриваемом зале. Старайтесь уважать пространство некурящих.
Новые и нечастые игроки в бинго могут быстро войти в игру, следуя советам опытных игроков, упомянутым в следующем разделе.
Советы по игре в бинго
Пришло время узнать, что уже знают опытные профессионалы в бинго . Игра пропитана ритуалами, правилами и особыми вариантами игры. Новичок обязательно будет сбит с толку без какого-либо руководства.
Ниже приведены различные подсказки, которые помогут вам быстро войти в ритм.
Прибывать рано. Постоянные игроки обычно приходят в зал за час-два до начала сеанса . Это дает им достаточно времени, чтобы занять свое любимое место, подготовить свои карты (закрепив их или предварительно замазав места, не нужные для рисунка), перекусить, расставить безделушки на удачу, сыграть в язычки или поболтать. играйте в джин-рамми с другими завсегдатаями.
Это также отличная возможность узнать больше о лучших или худших играх в городе. Встречаясь с людьми, вы услышите военные истории и узнаете о популярных местах в городе, где можно поиграть в бинго. Однако относитесь к тому, что вы слышите, с недоверием. Люди могут делать общие заявления об определенном зале только потому, что они пошли один раз и проиграли. Или они могут сказать: «Мне нравится этот зал — я выиграл шесть раз!» Однако разумно также спросить этого человека, сколько он там потерял!
Будьте готовы . Возьмите скотч или клей-карандаш. Скользкие столы могут быть проблемой, когда вы пытаетесь сосредоточиться на своих картах. Рулон клейкой ленты должен решить эту проблему. Кроме того, клей-карандаш может стать хорошей инвестицией.
Сядьте рядом с звонящим.Чем быстрее вы получите информацию, тем лучше. Сидя рядом с вызывающим абонентом, вы можете украдкой взглянуть на следующий мяч, когда он выскакивает из желоба. Это вполне приемлемая практика, поэтому не стесняйтесь ею пользоваться. Однако имейте в виду, что вы не можете звонить в бинго до тех пор, пока номер не будет объявлен вызывающим абонентом.
Будьте начеку . Будьте начеку, потому что, если вы закроете шаблон на B-7, но не закричите «бинго» до того, как будет назван следующий номер, вы проиграете. Для того, кто провел всю ночь за столами, личная трагедия «спать в бинго». (Тот, кто кричит «бинго» после того, как был назван следующий номер, известен как спящий.)
Держите свое остроумие при себе. Некоторые залы бинго обслуживаюталкогольные напитки вместе с обычным ассортиментом закусок и прохладительных напитков. Наслаждайтесь умеренно, если вам это нравится, но всегда помните, что алкоголь может ухудшить ваше суждение. Не полагайтесь на свое суждение о бинго, чтобы быть лучшим под воздействием алкоголя. Вы не хотите проснуться на следующее утро, задаваясь вопросом, что случилось с той зарплатой, которую вы только что обналичили!
Высказываться. Не бойтесь звонить звонящему. Если кажется, что звонящий прокручивает цифры, возможно, вы играете слишком много карт. Но звонящий может быть новичком или просто устал и надеется быстро закончить игру. Если вы знаете, что можете комфортно играть в шесть лиц, но у вас возникают проблемы с отставанием, не бойтесь говорить об этом.
Знай правила.Если кто-то несправедливо выиграл бинго (например, он не называет бинго достаточно громко, чтобы вызывающий мог остановить игру, но ему все равно присуждается банк), ссылка на правила может означать разницу между вашим шансом на победу и шансом на выигрыш. игра заканчивается тут же.
Получить некоторые упражнения. Многие люди говорят, что упражнения делают их более острыми и способными лучше концентрироваться. Упражнения также борются со страшным «разбросом сидений», вызванным чрезмерным потреблением закусок для игры в бинго. Имейте в виду, однако, что быстрая прогулка по парковке, вероятно, не поможет. Исследователи из Виктории, Австралия, обнаружили, что шесть минут аэробных упражнений не повлияли на то, насколько умственно развиты игроки в бинго по сравнению с их результатами до тренировки.
Как отточить свои умственные способности
Большим сюрпризом для новичков в бинго является то, как часто им приходится хлопать себя по лбу, потому что они упустили шанс заполнить квадрат на одной из своих карт. Однако для «профессионалов» в бинго количество пропущенных звонков сведено к минимуму благодаря сочетанию концентрации и умственных способностей, которые становятся второй натурой при повторяющейся игре. Ниже приведены несколько советов, которые можно попробовать.
Не обращайте внимания на числа в левой части квадрата. Читая числа на карточке в обратном порядке, вы можете сэкономить немного времени. Например, если вызываемый номер — B-12, отсканируйте правую часть столбца B на наличие двойки. Когда вы увидите его, посмотрите налево, чтобы увидеть цифру 1.
Обратите внимание на узор.Может быть сложно не отставать от вызывающего абонента, не забывая проверять шаблон. Нет ничего необычного в том, что новичок получает бинго и не понимает этого просто потому, что его карта настолько испачкана, что он даже не видит закономерности. Предварительно замажьте все квадраты, которые вам не нужны. Не забывайте, что в некоторых играх многие пробелы не имеют значения.
Если игровым шаблоном является рамка изображения (все квадраты по четырем краям карты), попробуйте предварительно обвести все внутренние числа, чтобы помочь себе мысленно заблокировать остальную часть карты и сосредоточиться на важных местах. Это может означать много мазни в 12-карточной игре «маленький ромб» (четыре квадрата сразу вверх, вниз, влево и вправо от свободного места),
Eventually, as you develop the mental skills that come with repeated play, you may find you don't get any benefit from predaubing. You may be able to simply visualize the pattern as your eyes dart from card to card.
Rely on backup. If you're still having trouble keeping up with complicated patterns, consider bringing a yellow highlighter to mark the daubable spaces.
Now that you know some basic rules and how to keep up with seasoned players, where can you play bingo? Let's find out in the last section.
Прибывать рано. Постоянные игроки обычно приходят в зал за час-два до начала сеанса . Это дает им достаточно времени, чтобы занять свое любимое место, подготовить свои карты (закрепив их или предварительно замазав места, не нужные для рисунка), перекусить, расставить безделушки на удачу, сыграть в язычки или поболтать. играйте в джин-рамми с другими завсегдатаями.
Это также отличная возможность узнать больше о лучших или худших играх в городе. Встречаясь с людьми, вы услышите военные истории и узнаете о популярных местах в городе, где можно поиграть в бинго. Однако относитесь к тому, что вы слышите, с недоверием. Люди могут делать общие заявления об определенном зале только потому, что они пошли один раз и проиграли. Или они могут сказать: «Мне нравится этот зал — я выиграл шесть раз!» Однако разумно также спросить этого человека, сколько он там потерял!
Будьте готовы . Возьмите скотч или клей-карандаш. Скользкие столы могут быть проблемой, когда вы пытаетесь сосредоточиться на своих картах. Рулон клейкой ленты должен решить эту проблему. Кроме того, клей-карандаш может стать хорошей инвестицией.
Сядьте рядом с звонящим.Чем быстрее вы получите информацию, тем лучше. Сидя рядом с вызывающим абонентом, вы можете украдкой взглянуть на следующий мяч, когда он выскакивает из желоба. Это вполне приемлемая практика, поэтому не стесняйтесь ею пользоваться. Однако имейте в виду, что вы не можете звонить в бинго до тех пор, пока номер не будет объявлен вызывающим абонентом.
Будьте начеку . Будьте начеку, потому что, если вы закроете шаблон на B-7, но не закричите «бинго» до того, как будет назван следующий номер, вы проиграете. Для того, кто провел всю ночь за столами, личная трагедия «спать в бинго». (Тот, кто кричит «бинго» после того, как был назван следующий номер, известен как спящий.)
Держите свое остроумие при себе. Некоторые залы бинго обслуживаюталкогольные напитки вместе с обычным ассортиментом закусок и прохладительных напитков. Наслаждайтесь умеренно, если вам это нравится, но всегда помните, что алкоголь может ухудшить ваше суждение. Не полагайтесь на свое суждение о бинго, чтобы быть лучшим под воздействием алкоголя. Вы не хотите проснуться на следующее утро, задаваясь вопросом, что случилось с той зарплатой, которую вы только что обналичили!
Высказываться. Не бойтесь звонить звонящему. Если кажется, что звонящий прокручивает цифры, возможно, вы играете слишком много карт. Но звонящий может быть новичком или просто устал и надеется быстро закончить игру. Если вы знаете, что можете комфортно играть в шесть лиц, но у вас возникают проблемы с отставанием, не бойтесь говорить об этом.
Знай правила.Если кто-то несправедливо выиграл бинго (например, он не называет бинго достаточно громко, чтобы вызывающий мог остановить игру, но ему все равно присуждается банк), ссылка на правила может означать разницу между вашим шансом на победу и шансом на выигрыш. игра заканчивается тут же.
Получить некоторые упражнения. Многие люди говорят, что упражнения делают их более острыми и способными лучше концентрироваться. Упражнения также борются со страшным «разбросом сидений», вызванным чрезмерным потреблением закусок для игры в бинго. Имейте в виду, однако, что быстрая прогулка по парковке, вероятно, не поможет. Исследователи из Виктории, Австралия, обнаружили, что шесть минут аэробных упражнений не повлияли на то, насколько умственно развиты игроки в бинго по сравнению с их результатами до тренировки.
Как отточить свои умственные способности
Большим сюрпризом для новичков в бинго является то, как часто им приходится хлопать себя по лбу, потому что они упустили шанс заполнить квадрат на одной из своих карт. Однако для «профессионалов» в бинго количество пропущенных звонков сведено к минимуму благодаря сочетанию концентрации и умственных способностей, которые становятся второй натурой при повторяющейся игре. Ниже приведены несколько советов, которые можно попробовать.
Не обращайте внимания на числа в левой части квадрата. Читая числа на карточке в обратном порядке, вы можете сэкономить немного времени. Например, если вызываемый номер — B-12, отсканируйте правую часть столбца B на наличие двойки. Когда вы увидите его, посмотрите налево, чтобы увидеть цифру 1.
Обратите внимание на узор.Может быть сложно не отставать от вызывающего абонента, не забывая проверять шаблон. Нет ничего необычного в том, что новичок получает бинго и не понимает этого просто потому, что его карта настолько испачкана, что он даже не видит закономерности. Предварительно замажьте все квадраты, которые вам не нужны. Не забывайте, что в некоторых играх многие пробелы не имеют значения.
Если игровым шаблоном является рамка изображения (все квадраты по четырем краям карты), попробуйте предварительно обвести все внутренние числа, чтобы помочь себе мысленно заблокировать остальную часть карты и сосредоточиться на важных местах. Это может означать много мазни в 12-карточной игре «маленький ромб» (четыре квадрата сразу вверх, вниз, влево и вправо от свободного места),
Eventually, as you develop the mental skills that come with repeated play, you may find you don't get any benefit from predaubing. You may be able to simply visualize the pattern as your eyes dart from card to card.
Rely on backup. If you're still having trouble keeping up with complicated patterns, consider bringing a yellow highlighter to mark the daubable spaces.
Now that you know some basic rules and how to keep up with seasoned players, where can you play bingo? Let's find out in the last section.
Directory of Places to Play Bingo
There are literally thousands of places to play bingo, from community churches and schools to casinos and Native American mega-halls. The best way to find a bingo is to crack open the yellow pages and look under the listings for "Bingo," "Bingo Halls," and "Halls & Auditoriums." If that doesn't work, try the Bingo Bugle's Local Game Finder at
www.bingobugle.com
to see if any games are listed in your area.
You may also want to check out the bingo search engines on the Internet, which list selected bingo halls by state. And, the Aruba Publishing Bingo Directory ( www.bingo-directory.com , 888-246-4650) is a travel guide listing more than 7,000 halls, with listings verified every six months. Below is just a sampling of places to play across the United States. It is by no means complete, and it is not a "best" bingo hall listing -- it is a sampling of good, well-respected halls. Be sure to call to get the most up-to-date schedules and specials.
Northeast Region
Mohawk Bingo Palace
202 State Route 37, P. O. Box 720
Akwesasne, NY 13655
518-358-2246
866-452-5768
www.mohawkpalace.com
Mohawk caters to regulars in New York and across the border in Canada, featuring regular daily bingo, high-stakes bingo, and video bingo machines in the Crystal Game Room. Semi-regular features include a 7 p.m. "Odd Ball" game on Sunday -- bingo on an odd number wins $750, bingo on an even number $500 (packages $25 and $30). Seasonal special events, such as a recent bingo marathon of 50 games including 32 regular games paying $1,000 each (packages $79 and $99). Senior bingo held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Braille bingo cards available.
Foxwoods Resort Casino
39 Norwich-Westerly Road
Mashantucket, CT 06338
800-FOXWOODS
www.foxwoods.com
Bingo is just part of the mix at Foxwoods, which has five separate casinos, 41 restaurants and shops, and more than 1,400 rooms. When not playing golf or checking out the headline entertainers, guests can play bingo in a large hall, participate in tournaments, or try video bingo. Matinee sessions start at 10:30 a.m., evening sessions at 6:30 p.m.
Southeast Region
Napoleon Room Bingo Hall
4631 W. Napoleon Ave.
Metairie, LA 70001
504-454-8193
www.bingonr.com
Located just outside New Orleans, Napoleon Room offers daily sessions that include progressive jackpots and "high-roller" speed bingo. Giveaway per session is $4,500, the maximum allowed by law in Louisiana. Buy-in of $10 for daytime speed games and 7 p.m. regular games. The 10 p.m. high-roller game is a $15 buy-in for four cards. Each game has a $1,000 coverall featuring a chance to win a $50,000 progressive jackpot.
Gretna Bingo Palace
1900 Franklin Ave.
Gretna, LA 70053
504-368-4443
www.gretnabingopalace.com
One of five major commercial halls in New Orleans, Gretna Bingo is the source of revenue for eight of the Mardi Gras parades that make the Big Easy famous. A total of 26 sessions a week are held, including late-night sessions beginning at 1 a.m.
AmVets Post 10
1001 Winterville Road
Athens, GA 30605
706-353-0232
AmVets offers games on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and games starting at 7:30 p.m. Giveaways differ each session. Another good place to play in Athens is the VFW Club 2872 (835 Sunset Drive, 706-546-5978, games at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday).
Bingo Madness
7139 S. U.S. Highway 1
Port St. Lucie, FL 34952
772-871-7001
877-75BINGO
www.floridabingo.com/madness.htm
This is a friendly bingo hall and arcade within driving distance of Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and West Palm Beach. Bingo is offered all day, seven days a week. Lightning bingo every afternoon and evening. Payouts of more than $6,000 daily. Daily specials, including Good Neighbor Night (player to the left or right of the winner gets a gift) and King & Queen Night (first single male/female winner receives a prize every time "their" number comes up). New customers get a free dauber courtesy of the Bingo Madness staff.
Midwest Region
Oneida Bingo & Casino
2020/2100 Airport Drive
Green Bay, WI 54313
920-494-4500
800-238-4263
http://www.oneidabingoandcasino.net
This northern-Wisconsin high-stakes hall features games daily at 10 a.m. and evenings (6 p.m. weekdays, 5 p.m. weekends). Friday Night Owls session starts at 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday Night Owls sessions start at 9 p.m. The hall seats 850 players per session and includes a smoke-free area. The $250,000 "JumbOneida" 47-ball blackout is played every session (jackpot drops to $2,000 in 49 numbers, $1,500 in 50-55 numbers, and $1,000 thereafter). Lucky Seven pays $500 on the same card.
Big Top Bingo
901 25th Street South
Fargo, ND 58103
701-237-9692
Big Top Bingo proceeds support Fargo's Plains Art Museum. Sessions include brunch, matinee, afternoon, evening, moonlight, and red-eye, with typical blackout jackpots from $500 to $1,800. Evening sessions start with early-bird games at 6:10 p.m.; regular games start at 7 p.m. Stop-and-daub sessions Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (a straight bingo within 10 numbers wins $200).
India Shrine Bingo
India Shrine Temple
3601 NW 36th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
405-947-3313
www.shrinersokc.org/bingo.html
Bingo every Thursday at 6 p.m. Mini-games are followed by regular sessions at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds go to the India Temple Transportation Fund (pays for transporting children to Shrine Hospitals). Session packs are $5 and $8; special games are $1 each or three for $2. Progressive jackpots up to $1,199.
Northwest/Alaska Region
Coeur d'Alene Tribal Bingo/Casino
Hwy 95
Worley, ID 83876
800-523-2464
www.cdacasino.com/bingo.html
Besides boxing and concerts, the Coeur d'Alene Casino hosts $30,000 bingo sessions and more than 400 video pull-tab machines. Free shuttles from Spokane, Washington, 30 minutes away. Bingo hours are from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Shoshone-Bannock Gaming
I-15 Exit 80, Simplot Road
Fort Hall, ID 83203
800-497-4231
www.forthallcasino.com/bingo.html
This casino/bingo hall is located one hundred miles from Yellowstone Park. Wednesday and Thursday's budget bingo sessions start at 6:00 p.m. and have a $10 buy-in. On Saturdays the Early Bird session starts at 5:30 p.m. Regular bingo starts at 7:00 p.m. with a $30 buy-in. Night Owl bingo, which starts at 10:30 p.m., has a $6 buy-in. On Sundays, there's a $10 buy-in for the 12:30 p.m. Early Bird session. Regular bingo starts at 2:00 p.m. with a $20 buy-in. There's also bingo on Fridays, but not on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Southwest Region
San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino
777 San Manuel Blvd.
Highland, CA 92346
800-359-2464
www.sanmanuel.com
San Manuel Bingo claims to have given away more than $1 billion in prizes since 1986, including a few jackpots in the five- and six-digit range. The massive 2,500-seat bingo hall, which has an enclosed nonsmoking section, offers sessions daily starting at 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on weekends. Daily specials. On Tuesday, for example, it's Triple Action Bingo with a $15 single buy-in that includes two 6-ons with three payouts for all 15 regular games, with a top payline of $1,500. Closed on Thursdays.
SCC Florin Road Bingo
2350 Florin Road
Sacramento, CA 95822
916-422-4646
www.scc-bingo.com/home.html
Maximum payout of $250 on all games. Evening sessions starting at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.) Friday through Wednesday (closed Thursday), with late-morning sessions on Wednesday and Sunday and late-night sessions on weekends. The late-night Saturday session is Bullet Bingo, a fast-paced three-number bingo game worth $25 to $250 or the progressive jackpot. The cool Web site lets players submit their own patterns they want to see played in the hall.
Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall
5111 Boulder Highway
Las Vegas, NV 89122
702-456-7777
800-897-8696
www.samstownlv.com/casino/bingo.cfm
Sam's Town, one of at least 18 places to play bingo in Las Vegas, holds 10 paper card/dauber sessions daily on the second floor. The first session starts at 9:00 a.m. and the last at 11 p.m. The Hot Ball progressive jackpot starts at $250 and increases with each session until won.
You didn't think bingo was this involved, did you? Well, now that you know about the basics of the game, you are prepared to try for whatever jackpot you have your eye on. And you don't have to be limited to neighborhood games.
You may also want to check out the bingo search engines on the Internet, which list selected bingo halls by state. And, the Aruba Publishing Bingo Directory ( www.bingo-directory.com , 888-246-4650) is a travel guide listing more than 7,000 halls, with listings verified every six months. Below is just a sampling of places to play across the United States. It is by no means complete, and it is not a "best" bingo hall listing -- it is a sampling of good, well-respected halls. Be sure to call to get the most up-to-date schedules and specials.
Northeast Region
Mohawk Bingo Palace
202 State Route 37, P. O. Box 720
Akwesasne, NY 13655
518-358-2246
866-452-5768
www.mohawkpalace.com
Mohawk caters to regulars in New York and across the border in Canada, featuring regular daily bingo, high-stakes bingo, and video bingo machines in the Crystal Game Room. Semi-regular features include a 7 p.m. "Odd Ball" game on Sunday -- bingo on an odd number wins $750, bingo on an even number $500 (packages $25 and $30). Seasonal special events, such as a recent bingo marathon of 50 games including 32 regular games paying $1,000 each (packages $79 and $99). Senior bingo held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Braille bingo cards available.
Foxwoods Resort Casino
39 Norwich-Westerly Road
Mashantucket, CT 06338
800-FOXWOODS
www.foxwoods.com
Bingo is just part of the mix at Foxwoods, which has five separate casinos, 41 restaurants and shops, and more than 1,400 rooms. When not playing golf or checking out the headline entertainers, guests can play bingo in a large hall, participate in tournaments, or try video bingo. Matinee sessions start at 10:30 a.m., evening sessions at 6:30 p.m.
Southeast Region
Napoleon Room Bingo Hall
4631 W. Napoleon Ave.
Metairie, LA 70001
504-454-8193
www.bingonr.com
Located just outside New Orleans, Napoleon Room offers daily sessions that include progressive jackpots and "high-roller" speed bingo. Giveaway per session is $4,500, the maximum allowed by law in Louisiana. Buy-in of $10 for daytime speed games and 7 p.m. regular games. The 10 p.m. high-roller game is a $15 buy-in for four cards. Each game has a $1,000 coverall featuring a chance to win a $50,000 progressive jackpot.
Gretna Bingo Palace
1900 Franklin Ave.
Gretna, LA 70053
504-368-4443
www.gretnabingopalace.com
One of five major commercial halls in New Orleans, Gretna Bingo is the source of revenue for eight of the Mardi Gras parades that make the Big Easy famous. A total of 26 sessions a week are held, including late-night sessions beginning at 1 a.m.
AmVets Post 10
1001 Winterville Road
Athens, GA 30605
706-353-0232
AmVets offers games on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and games starting at 7:30 p.m. Giveaways differ each session. Another good place to play in Athens is the VFW Club 2872 (835 Sunset Drive, 706-546-5978, games at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday).
Bingo Madness
7139 S. U.S. Highway 1
Port St. Lucie, FL 34952
772-871-7001
877-75BINGO
www.floridabingo.com/madness.htm
This is a friendly bingo hall and arcade within driving distance of Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and West Palm Beach. Bingo is offered all day, seven days a week. Lightning bingo every afternoon and evening. Payouts of more than $6,000 daily. Daily specials, including Good Neighbor Night (player to the left or right of the winner gets a gift) and King & Queen Night (first single male/female winner receives a prize every time "their" number comes up). New customers get a free dauber courtesy of the Bingo Madness staff.
Midwest Region
Oneida Bingo & Casino
2020/2100 Airport Drive
Green Bay, WI 54313
920-494-4500
800-238-4263
http://www.oneidabingoandcasino.net
This northern-Wisconsin high-stakes hall features games daily at 10 a.m. and evenings (6 p.m. weekdays, 5 p.m. weekends). Friday Night Owls session starts at 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday Night Owls sessions start at 9 p.m. The hall seats 850 players per session and includes a smoke-free area. The $250,000 "JumbOneida" 47-ball blackout is played every session (jackpot drops to $2,000 in 49 numbers, $1,500 in 50-55 numbers, and $1,000 thereafter). Lucky Seven pays $500 on the same card.
Big Top Bingo
901 25th Street South
Fargo, ND 58103
701-237-9692
Big Top Bingo proceeds support Fargo's Plains Art Museum. Sessions include brunch, matinee, afternoon, evening, moonlight, and red-eye, with typical blackout jackpots from $500 to $1,800. Evening sessions start with early-bird games at 6:10 p.m.; regular games start at 7 p.m. Stop-and-daub sessions Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (a straight bingo within 10 numbers wins $200).
India Shrine Bingo
India Shrine Temple
3601 NW 36th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
405-947-3313
www.shrinersokc.org/bingo.html
Bingo every Thursday at 6 p.m. Mini-games are followed by regular sessions at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds go to the India Temple Transportation Fund (pays for transporting children to Shrine Hospitals). Session packs are $5 and $8; special games are $1 each or three for $2. Progressive jackpots up to $1,199.
Northwest/Alaska Region
Coeur d'Alene Tribal Bingo/Casino
Hwy 95
Worley, ID 83876
800-523-2464
www.cdacasino.com/bingo.html
Besides boxing and concerts, the Coeur d'Alene Casino hosts $30,000 bingo sessions and more than 400 video pull-tab machines. Free shuttles from Spokane, Washington, 30 minutes away. Bingo hours are from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Shoshone-Bannock Gaming
I-15 Exit 80, Simplot Road
Fort Hall, ID 83203
800-497-4231
www.forthallcasino.com/bingo.html
This casino/bingo hall is located one hundred miles from Yellowstone Park. Wednesday and Thursday's budget bingo sessions start at 6:00 p.m. and have a $10 buy-in. On Saturdays the Early Bird session starts at 5:30 p.m. Regular bingo starts at 7:00 p.m. with a $30 buy-in. Night Owl bingo, which starts at 10:30 p.m., has a $6 buy-in. On Sundays, there's a $10 buy-in for the 12:30 p.m. Early Bird session. Regular bingo starts at 2:00 p.m. with a $20 buy-in. There's also bingo on Fridays, but not on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Southwest Region
San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino
777 San Manuel Blvd.
Highland, CA 92346
800-359-2464
www.sanmanuel.com
San Manuel Bingo claims to have given away more than $1 billion in prizes since 1986, including a few jackpots in the five- and six-digit range. The massive 2,500-seat bingo hall, which has an enclosed nonsmoking section, offers sessions daily starting at 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on weekends. Daily specials. On Tuesday, for example, it's Triple Action Bingo with a $15 single buy-in that includes two 6-ons with three payouts for all 15 regular games, with a top payline of $1,500. Closed on Thursdays.
SCC Florin Road Bingo
2350 Florin Road
Sacramento, CA 95822
916-422-4646
www.scc-bingo.com/home.html
Maximum payout of $250 on all games. Evening sessions starting at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.) Friday through Wednesday (closed Thursday), with late-morning sessions on Wednesday and Sunday and late-night sessions on weekends. The late-night Saturday session is Bullet Bingo, a fast-paced three-number bingo game worth $25 to $250 or the progressive jackpot. The cool Web site lets players submit their own patterns they want to see played in the hall.
Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall
5111 Boulder Highway
Las Vegas, NV 89122
702-456-7777
800-897-8696
www.samstownlv.com/casino/bingo.cfm
Sam's Town, one of at least 18 places to play bingo in Las Vegas, holds 10 paper card/dauber sessions daily on the second floor. The first session starts at 9:00 a.m. and the last at 11 p.m. The Hot Ball progressive jackpot starts at $250 and increases with each session until won.
You didn't think bingo was this involved, did you? Well, now that you know about the basics of the game, you are prepared to try for whatever jackpot you have your eye on. And you don't have to be limited to neighborhood games.
Advanced Bingo Strategies
Количество различных шаблонов, которые можно вызвать в игре в бинго, практически безгранично. Большинство абонентов знают десятки из них. Некоторые модели являются традиционными, а другие были введены совсем недавно. Многие из них известны игрокам во всем мире, а некоторые являются изобретениями творческих и страстных игроков в бинго. Опытные игроки в бинго поймут, что один и тот же узор может называться по-разному, так что «воздушный змей» одного человека является «волшебной палочкой» другого. В этой статье мы обсудим, как знание шаблонов карт может дать вам преимущество перед другими игроками. Мы даже расскажем, как выбор неповторяющихся карт, использование одних и тех же карт и другие советы могут повысить ваши шансы на выигрыш джекпота. И удача тоже не помешает.
Типы паттернов, которые будут воспроизводиться во время сеанса, обычно устанавливаются заранее. Одиночные игры не ограничиваются одним паттерном (например, звонящий может вызвать фоторамку на пути к затемнению). Вполне возможно, что игрок может выиграть два джекпота в одной и той же игре, выполнив первый и второй шаблоны; или, возможно, в игре могут быть два разных победителя, если один игрок получает рамку для картины, а второй игрок получает затемнение. Шаблоны также не ограничиваются одной картой. Например, гигантское бинго — это прямолинейное бинго, которое простирается от одной лицевой стороны карты к другой.
Многие из паттернов, перечисленных ниже, можно назвать «сумасшедшими», например, «сумасшедшие змеи». Это просто означает, что рисунок змеи может указывать любое направление на карте. Таким образом, паттерн T можно выиграть только прямо вверх и вниз (именно так пишется заглавная T), а сумасшедший T можно выиграть на боку или даже вверх ногами. Точно так же любой шаблон, обозначенный как «сложный путь», просто означает, что свободное место нельзя использовать в выигрышном шаблоне.
Чтобы игра была интересной, большинство залов часто меняют шаблоны. Некоторые шаблоны могут быть довольно творческими; самая большая проблема в том, что пытаться найти сложный узор сразу на дюжине карт — это приобретенный навык. Если узор сложный, не беспокойтесь — он, скорее всего, будет распечатан в программе или отображен на освещенной электронной доске над головой, и он обязательно будет объяснен звонящим перед игрой. Но это все равно не облегчает неопытному игроку определение закономерности, когда вся его карта покрыта пятнами. Очень важно, чтобы вы обращали пристальное внимание на свои карты в сложных играх, иначе вы можете достичь бинго и даже не осознать этого, пока не станет слишком поздно. Это происходит все время!
One way to keep things simple is to break down a pattern into its elements. The following are descriptions of popular patterns grouped by similarities. In some cases, you'll find suggestions for how you might think of the patterns in order to simplify things while scanning your cards. Pay attention to special rules (for example, the two lines in double regular bingo need not run parallel to each other).
Straight Line Patterns
In one-line bingo, also called regular bingo, a player simply needs to cover five numbers in a row vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. In two lines, or double regular bingo, the lines do not necessarily need to run the same direction. The same is true for triple regular bingo, where it's possible to win with one horizontal, one vertical, and one diagonal line.
Line Combo Patterns
These patterns can be thought of as special configurations of double and triple bingo. Two horizontal or vertical lines together make up railroad tracks. Asterisk is the two diagonals plus the vertical line down the center; add the horizontal line through the middle for starburst. Bow tie is just four lines: two diagonals, plus a vertical line down each edge.
Letter Patterns
Take a look. While this might seem like alphabet soup, it's just more straight-line combos. Remember, if the letter is designated "crazy," the pattern can be formed right-side up, upside down, or lying on either side.
Lucky Seven Patterns
Lucky seven is a double bingo consisting of the horizontal line along the top edge of the card plus the diagonal line from top right to bottom left, forming -- yes, you guessed it -- the number seven.
Coverall, Odd-Even, Speedball Patterns
Usually, coverall, also known as blackout, is used for a large, progressive jackpot. Players try to daub off all 24 numbered spaces on a card within a specific number of calls. In a 51-number blackout, for example, a player must cover all 24 spaces in 51 calls. If no one accomplishes this, the game ends and the jackpot rolls over. As mentioned earlier, some jurisdictions prohibit progressive jackpots; in that case, coveralls are played until someone hits bingo, regardless of how many balls are called.
In odd-even, a variation of coverall, the caller instructs players to blot out all even (or odd) numbers, and then calls only odd (or even) numbers until someone wins. The caller will usually use the day of the month, a ball drawn from the blower, or some other method to determine whether the game is set at odd or even.
Speedball is a fast-paced version of coverall in which the caller rapidly calls out numbers one after the other until one player covers all spaces. The caller may even omit the letters to make it more challenging.
Picture Frame Patterns
A picture frame pattern includes every space along the edge of the card. Broken picture frame is every other space along the edge, starting with the corners. An inside frame is a small box inside what would be the larger picture frame area.
Diamond Patterns
Little diamond is a four-square pattern that includes the squares immediately to the top, bottom, left, and right of the free space. The points of the eight-square big diamond touch the center square of each side.
Postage Stamp/Double Postage Stamp Patterns
In a postage stamp pattern, to win you need to cover four squares in a corner. In single postage stamp, players usually need to have the top right corner covered (so the board looks like an envelope that's ready to mail). Double postage stamp can include any two corners.
Six-Pack/Block of Eight Patterns
These patterns are groupings similar to that of postage stamp. Six-pack is made up of two rows of three squares, just like a six-pack of soda or beer. Make that two rows of four squares each for block of eight. (Block of nine, as one would expect, is three rows of three squares each.)
Kite (Magic Wand)/Arrow Patterns
These are basically more variations on the postage stamp pattern. Kite is a four-square box in one corner (the kite), plus a diagonal line all the way to the opposite corner (the tail of the kite). A "crazy" kite is one in which the tail points to any of the four corners. Arrow looks a little bit like kite, but it consists of a six-square triangle instead of a four-square box.
American Flag/Castle Patterns
American flag and castle are two horizontal bingo variations. American flag covers the top three lines plus a two-square flagpole at the bottom. The flagpole may be on the left or right. A castle covers the bottom two rows of the bingo card, as well as every other square in the middle row. As you can see, this creates the look of turrets on a castle.
Snake Patterns
The snake pattern consists of a zigzag line of five squares along the top edge of the card, starting with the second square in the B column. Remember, a crazy snake is the same pattern, but it can start in any of the corners.
Now that you are familiar with potential bingo card patterns, let's look at how players try to increase the mathematical odds of their numbers being called.
Типы паттернов, которые будут воспроизводиться во время сеанса, обычно устанавливаются заранее. Одиночные игры не ограничиваются одним паттерном (например, звонящий может вызвать фоторамку на пути к затемнению). Вполне возможно, что игрок может выиграть два джекпота в одной и той же игре, выполнив первый и второй шаблоны; или, возможно, в игре могут быть два разных победителя, если один игрок получает рамку для картины, а второй игрок получает затемнение. Шаблоны также не ограничиваются одной картой. Например, гигантское бинго — это прямолинейное бинго, которое простирается от одной лицевой стороны карты к другой.
Т-образный узор |
Чтобы игра была интересной, большинство залов часто меняют шаблоны. Некоторые шаблоны могут быть довольно творческими; самая большая проблема в том, что пытаться найти сложный узор сразу на дюжине карт — это приобретенный навык. Если узор сложный, не беспокойтесь — он, скорее всего, будет распечатан в программе или отображен на освещенной электронной доске над головой, и он обязательно будет объяснен звонящим перед игрой. Но это все равно не облегчает неопытному игроку определение закономерности, когда вся его карта покрыта пятнами. Очень важно, чтобы вы обращали пристальное внимание на свои карты в сложных играх, иначе вы можете достичь бинго и даже не осознать этого, пока не станет слишком поздно. Это происходит все время!
One way to keep things simple is to break down a pattern into its elements. The following are descriptions of popular patterns grouped by similarities. In some cases, you'll find suggestions for how you might think of the patterns in order to simplify things while scanning your cards. Pay attention to special rules (for example, the two lines in double regular bingo need not run parallel to each other).
Straight Line Patterns
In one-line bingo, also called regular bingo, a player simply needs to cover five numbers in a row vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. In two lines, or double regular bingo, the lines do not necessarily need to run the same direction. The same is true for triple regular bingo, where it's possible to win with one horizontal, one vertical, and one diagonal line.
Railroad Tracks Pattern |
These patterns can be thought of as special configurations of double and triple bingo. Two horizontal or vertical lines together make up railroad tracks. Asterisk is the two diagonals plus the vertical line down the center; add the horizontal line through the middle for starburst. Bow tie is just four lines: two diagonals, plus a vertical line down each edge.
Letter Patterns
Take a look. While this might seem like alphabet soup, it's just more straight-line combos. Remember, if the letter is designated "crazy," the pattern can be formed right-side up, upside down, or lying on either side.
Lucky Seven Patterns
Lucky seven is a double bingo consisting of the horizontal line along the top edge of the card plus the diagonal line from top right to bottom left, forming -- yes, you guessed it -- the number seven.
Odd-Even Pattern |
Usually, coverall, also known as blackout, is used for a large, progressive jackpot. Players try to daub off all 24 numbered spaces on a card within a specific number of calls. In a 51-number blackout, for example, a player must cover all 24 spaces in 51 calls. If no one accomplishes this, the game ends and the jackpot rolls over. As mentioned earlier, some jurisdictions prohibit progressive jackpots; in that case, coveralls are played until someone hits bingo, regardless of how many balls are called.
In odd-even, a variation of coverall, the caller instructs players to blot out all even (or odd) numbers, and then calls only odd (or even) numbers until someone wins. The caller will usually use the day of the month, a ball drawn from the blower, or some other method to determine whether the game is set at odd or even.
Speedball is a fast-paced version of coverall in which the caller rapidly calls out numbers one after the other until one player covers all spaces. The caller may even omit the letters to make it more challenging.
Picture Frame Patterns
A picture frame pattern includes every space along the edge of the card. Broken picture frame is every other space along the edge, starting with the corners. An inside frame is a small box inside what would be the larger picture frame area.
Big Diamond Pattern |
Little diamond is a four-square pattern that includes the squares immediately to the top, bottom, left, and right of the free space. The points of the eight-square big diamond touch the center square of each side.
Postage Stamp/Double Postage Stamp Patterns
In a postage stamp pattern, to win you need to cover four squares in a corner. In single postage stamp, players usually need to have the top right corner covered (so the board looks like an envelope that's ready to mail). Double postage stamp can include any two corners.
Six-Pack/Block of Eight Patterns
These patterns are groupings similar to that of postage stamp. Six-pack is made up of two rows of three squares, just like a six-pack of soda or beer. Make that two rows of four squares each for block of eight. (Block of nine, as one would expect, is three rows of three squares each.)
Kite (Magic Wand)/Arrow Patterns
These are basically more variations on the postage stamp pattern. Kite is a four-square box in one corner (the kite), plus a diagonal line all the way to the opposite corner (the tail of the kite). A "crazy" kite is one in which the tail points to any of the four corners. Arrow looks a little bit like kite, but it consists of a six-square triangle instead of a four-square box.
American Flag Pattern |
American flag and castle are two horizontal bingo variations. American flag covers the top three lines plus a two-square flagpole at the bottom. The flagpole may be on the left or right. A castle covers the bottom two rows of the bingo card, as well as every other square in the middle row. As you can see, this creates the look of turrets on a castle.
Snake Patterns
The snake pattern consists of a zigzag line of five squares along the top edge of the card, starting with the second square in the B column. Remember, a crazy snake is the same pattern, but it can start in any of the corners.
Now that you are familiar with potential bingo card patterns, let's look at how players try to increase the mathematical odds of their numbers being called.
Understanding Bingo Odds
Calculating odds in bingo is theoretically very simple -- it's the number of cards you're playing divided by the total number of cards in play. So if 100 cards are in play, and you have 4 cards, your chances of winning are 4 in 100,
or 4 percent. The trick is being able to count how many cards are in play in a game. You can do a head count and multiply that number by what you think is the average number of cards per person, but this can be easier said than done.
However, these odds don't apply to progressive jackpot games. Remember that in most progressive games, a winner is not guaranteed. So, the odds of winning a progressive jackpot depend more on the difficulty of covering the pattern in the predetermined number of calls. The odds are so steep in some progressive games that it may be weeks or even months before somebody wins.
Which Numbers Come Up Most Often?
Everyone wants to know: "What's the secret to knowing which balls will come up most often?" The answer is simple. No single ball has a greater chance of appearing in a game than any other ball, provided that the balls are manufactured correctly, that no one is tampering with the balls, and that the blower machine is loaded with a complete set of 75 balls.
Think about it. If you flip a coin three times, it may come up heads twice and tails once. For that extremely small slice of time, it's true that heads is coming up more often. But if you flipped that coin for three hours straight, the laws of probability say that the number of heads and tails counted would be almost identical.
Now, let's suppose that, in a two-hour bingo session, N-31 comes up four times while N-42 is never called. It would appear that everybody who wants to win should collect cards that contain N-31. Hold your horses! Over the course of a dozen sessions, or two dozen sessions, there's not going to be much difference at all between the number of times N-31 is called versus the number of times N-42 is called. It's just a coincidence that one was called more than the other for that short period of time.
So What Can You Do to Win?
It can't hurt to try to tip the mathematical balance in your favor by using the following tips.
Avoid the crowds : Since odds depend on the number of cards in play in a game, a poorly attended game can be a rare treat. There's less competition for the jackpot, and, legally, bingo halls have to award the prizes they advertise regardless of how many people show up.
Play when bad weather or bad timing keeps crowds away.
Play at off times. If you frequent a hall long enough, you might get a sense for picking the sessions that are quieter than others. Depending on the hall, the quiet times might be midweek, midafternoon, late-night, or holidays when everyone leaves town or is with their family. The question is, do you really want to go to the 1:00 a.m. bingo just so you'll have a slightly better chance of winning a jackpot? It's possible you'll be surrounded by a bunch of bleary-eyed bingo players who are all hoping the same thing, which means -- you guessed it -- there goes your edge.
Another possibility to keep in mind is that the attendance for these games may be low because the jackpots aren't great. It would be a good idea to do a little research before you settle on a game.
Play multiple cards : The conventional wisdom among bingo players is that you should buy as many cards as you can handle at a time, without breaking the bank. This way, you'll increase your chances to win. Also, as players get better and more experienced, many like to keep the excitement alive and avoid boredom by keeping themselves busy with many cards.
But does playing multiple cards increase your odds of winning? The simple answer is: yes. Say you're 1 of 100 people playing bingo, and everyone has bought 4 cards each. That's 400 cards. Looking around, you sense an opportunity: Buy more cards! So you purchase 20 cards, or 5 times as many cards as anyone else.
Now there are 420 cards in play. In any given game, you have 20 chances out of 420 to win, or about a 4.8 percent chance. The other players each have only 4 chances out of 420 to win, just under 1 percent.
While the math works in your favor in terms of chances, you must be aware that playing multiple cards also gives you the opportunity to lose more money. Remember, you are paying a lot more for a buy-in than the other players.
The fact is, every single card in play in every single game has an equal chance of hitting bingo. There's nothing wrong with playing four or even eight cards, depending on how much money you are willing to risk. A good rule of thumb is to check out how many cards everybody else is playing, and shoot for the average. Then, if adding a few cards makes the game more enjoyable for you, by all means, increase your buy-in for the next game or session. But in the end, don't play more cards than you can comfortably track at one time.
Choose nonduplicate cards: Since no bingo card features any number more than once, every single card has the same odds of winning a game. Some players, however, try to maximize their chances of winning by choosing cards that don't duplicate the numbers they already have on other cards. In choosing cards with different numbers, they are hoping at least one of their cards will feature the number called.
Hold your cards over : Some halls let players retain the same cards from session to session. Is this to your benefit? Well, some players think it may be. They think that playing the same cards over and over will increase their chances of winning. This may be because they have won before with that particular set of cards, or it may be just the opposite: They haven't won yet with that set, and they feel they are "due."
Even if you've won quite a bit with a specific set of cards, you should also consider how many times you haven't won while playing that set. If you play more, it's likely you'll rack up more wins -- but you'll also probably lose more, and you may be less likely to acknowledge the losses.
Another possible benefit to holding your cards over is that you may become familiar with them, giving you a slight edge when it comes to looking for the numbers.
Stay alert : You've heard it before, but it bears repeating: Pay attention! If you don't hear the numbers that are called, or if you forget what pattern you are trying to cover, you can't possibly win.
Keep a positive attitude: Good things seem to happen to people who don't dwell on the bad. No one knows why. Some people even believe they can will events into happening if they just imagine it often enough. So try having a positive attitude. Why not? The worst that can happen is that you'll enjoy the bingo game more!
Got a lucky bingo rabbit's foot? In the next section, let's examine some "alternative" ways that bingo players use to increase their odds.
However, these odds don't apply to progressive jackpot games. Remember that in most progressive games, a winner is not guaranteed. So, the odds of winning a progressive jackpot depend more on the difficulty of covering the pattern in the predetermined number of calls. The odds are so steep in some progressive games that it may be weeks or even months before somebody wins.
Which Numbers Come Up Most Often?
Everyone wants to know: "What's the secret to knowing which balls will come up most often?" The answer is simple. No single ball has a greater chance of appearing in a game than any other ball, provided that the balls are manufactured correctly, that no one is tampering with the balls, and that the blower machine is loaded with a complete set of 75 balls.
Think about it. If you flip a coin three times, it may come up heads twice and tails once. For that extremely small slice of time, it's true that heads is coming up more often. But if you flipped that coin for three hours straight, the laws of probability say that the number of heads and tails counted would be almost identical.
Now, let's suppose that, in a two-hour bingo session, N-31 comes up four times while N-42 is never called. It would appear that everybody who wants to win should collect cards that contain N-31. Hold your horses! Over the course of a dozen sessions, or two dozen sessions, there's not going to be much difference at all between the number of times N-31 is called versus the number of times N-42 is called. It's just a coincidence that one was called more than the other for that short period of time.
So What Can You Do to Win?
It can't hurt to try to tip the mathematical balance in your favor by using the following tips.
Avoid the crowds : Since odds depend on the number of cards in play in a game, a poorly attended game can be a rare treat. There's less competition for the jackpot, and, legally, bingo halls have to award the prizes they advertise regardless of how many people show up.
Play when bad weather or bad timing keeps crowds away.
Play at off times. If you frequent a hall long enough, you might get a sense for picking the sessions that are quieter than others. Depending on the hall, the quiet times might be midweek, midafternoon, late-night, or holidays when everyone leaves town or is with their family. The question is, do you really want to go to the 1:00 a.m. bingo just so you'll have a slightly better chance of winning a jackpot? It's possible you'll be surrounded by a bunch of bleary-eyed bingo players who are all hoping the same thing, which means -- you guessed it -- there goes your edge.
Another possibility to keep in mind is that the attendance for these games may be low because the jackpots aren't great. It would be a good idea to do a little research before you settle on a game.
Play multiple cards : The conventional wisdom among bingo players is that you should buy as many cards as you can handle at a time, without breaking the bank. This way, you'll increase your chances to win. Also, as players get better and more experienced, many like to keep the excitement alive and avoid boredom by keeping themselves busy with many cards.
But does playing multiple cards increase your odds of winning? The simple answer is: yes. Say you're 1 of 100 people playing bingo, and everyone has bought 4 cards each. That's 400 cards. Looking around, you sense an opportunity: Buy more cards! So you purchase 20 cards, or 5 times as many cards as anyone else.
Now there are 420 cards in play. In any given game, you have 20 chances out of 420 to win, or about a 4.8 percent chance. The other players each have only 4 chances out of 420 to win, just under 1 percent.
While the math works in your favor in terms of chances, you must be aware that playing multiple cards also gives you the opportunity to lose more money. Remember, you are paying a lot more for a buy-in than the other players.
The fact is, every single card in play in every single game has an equal chance of hitting bingo. There's nothing wrong with playing four or even eight cards, depending on how much money you are willing to risk. A good rule of thumb is to check out how many cards everybody else is playing, and shoot for the average. Then, if adding a few cards makes the game more enjoyable for you, by all means, increase your buy-in for the next game or session. But in the end, don't play more cards than you can comfortably track at one time.
Choose nonduplicate cards: Since no bingo card features any number more than once, every single card has the same odds of winning a game. Some players, however, try to maximize their chances of winning by choosing cards that don't duplicate the numbers they already have on other cards. In choosing cards with different numbers, they are hoping at least one of their cards will feature the number called.
Hold your cards over : Some halls let players retain the same cards from session to session. Is this to your benefit? Well, some players think it may be. They think that playing the same cards over and over will increase their chances of winning. This may be because they have won before with that particular set of cards, or it may be just the opposite: They haven't won yet with that set, and they feel they are "due."
Even if you've won quite a bit with a specific set of cards, you should also consider how many times you haven't won while playing that set. If you play more, it's likely you'll rack up more wins -- but you'll also probably lose more, and you may be less likely to acknowledge the losses.
Another possible benefit to holding your cards over is that you may become familiar with them, giving you a slight edge when it comes to looking for the numbers.
Stay alert : You've heard it before, but it bears repeating: Pay attention! If you don't hear the numbers that are called, or if you forget what pattern you are trying to cover, you can't possibly win.
Keep a positive attitude: Good things seem to happen to people who don't dwell on the bad. No one knows why. Some people even believe they can will events into happening if they just imagine it often enough. So try having a positive attitude. Why not? The worst that can happen is that you'll enjoy the bingo game more!
Got a lucky bingo rabbit's foot? In the next section, let's examine some "alternative" ways that bingo players use to increase their odds.
|
Compared to bingo beginners, elderly experts had developed a special mental skill for spotting the called numbers and the patterns at the same time. Dr. Krauss found out that the novice player first scans for the number, then looks for the pattern, while seasoned players see the patterns forming as they are daubing the card. That's an important skill to have, since cards in pl ay get so marked up that beginners may not even see that they have bingo. The results of a memory test given by Dr. Krauss to elderly experts were especially surprising. She gave each of them a sheet of cards and asked them to memorize the numbers in a set amount of time. Then they had to throw the cards away and write all the numbers they could remember on blank cards. Some of the players were able to remember entire cards, down to the very last number. Why? It turns out many players had their own quirky ways of remembering numbers they hated or liked -- for example, "of course I would remember I-17 -- I never win on that number!" |
Bingo Luck and Superstitions
Some people just seem to have all the luck. Every bingo player knows somebody who seems to win all the time, no matter how often they sit down at the tables or how many cards they play. There's no explaining "dumb luck" -- something no odds-computing formulas in the world can figure. But even people who have given up trying to understand Lady Luck still court her. Below are some alternative ways that some players usse to improve their odds.
Lucky charms. Statistics show that three out of four people carry good-luck charms, whether they admit it or not. Most students say they perform better on tests when they wear lucky socks, special jewelry, or some other lucky charm. In bingo, judging from the clutter on the tables, one unwritten rule of lucky charms is that they must be prominently displayed during the game. There's no telling what some people deem lucky: troll dolls, four-leaf-clover key chains, dice, gemstones, rabbit's feet, small beanbag animals -- you name it, you'll find it on the bingo tables.
Lucky seats. If you're a first-timer at a particular bingo hall, be warned. Once you've chosen a seat and settled in, it's quite possible you may be tapped on the shoulder by an agitated player who's been sitting in that seat every Wednesday night for the past five years. It's a good idea to gracefully give up the chair and try to find your own lucky seat. Obviously, whether a seat is lucky for you or for someone else can't be proved, but it does stand to reason that when a player feels comfortable in their seat, they will be able to concentrate and enjoy the game
better than if they're squirming around, worrying about bad karma.
Lucky bucks. Is money lucky? Some people carefully place lucky coins in a pattern across the top of their cards. Others would never consider leaving any money on the table, afraid it will curse them with bad luck.
Lucky numbers. Your lucky number may be another bingo player's curse. Who knows? While one player might thank thei r lucky stars when they get a card showing, say, G-47, another may want to trade it in.
Who Has the Winning Edge?
If you go to bingo to gamble, you're in the wrong place. The bingo hall maintains a much larger edge over the player than virtually any casino or racetrack. A bingo hall that returns 60 percent of buy-ins as jackpots keeps 40 percent for itself. This fixed mathematical edge over the player guarantees the house will always make a profit.
Keep in mind that the worst bet in a gambling casino is a certain kind of bet at the craps table, which carries a house edge near 17 percent. In comparison, bingo carries a house edge of 40 percent -- if 60 percent of buy-ins are returned -- or, more than double the house edge in that bad craps bet!
Remember that when it comes down to it, bingo is a game of chance. If you want to increase your chances to win, look for the big paybacks, find poorly attended games with nice guarantees, choose nonduplicate cards, pull out your lucky charms, and, above all, pay attention and have fun! The social atmosphere and thrill of being one number from a bingo are what bring most people to the halls in the first place, so keep enjoying it.
The odds are, if you follow some of the guidelines in this article, you'll enjoy the game of bingo and, hopefully, some type of winnings.
Lucky charms. Statistics show that three out of four people carry good-luck charms, whether they admit it or not. Most students say they perform better on tests when they wear lucky socks, special jewelry, or some other lucky charm. In bingo, judging from the clutter on the tables, one unwritten rule of lucky charms is that they must be prominently displayed during the game. There's no telling what some people deem lucky: troll dolls, four-leaf-clover key chains, dice, gemstones, rabbit's feet, small beanbag animals -- you name it, you'll find it on the bingo tables.
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If the note in the envelope says "Proceed to Next Board," the player proceeds to yet another prize board, where they must guess which of those envelopes contains the big money. One woman got all the way to the third board, grabbed the right envelope, and, at the last minute, changed her mind and picked another. Imagine her disappointment when the casino manager revealed what had happened! You can bet that woman vowed never to go against a hunch again. |
Lucky bucks. Is money lucky? Some people carefully place lucky coins in a pattern across the top of their cards. Others would never consider leaving any money on the table, afraid it will curse them with bad luck.
Lucky numbers. Your lucky number may be another bingo player's curse. Who knows? While one player might thank thei r lucky stars when they get a card showing, say, G-47, another may want to trade it in.
Who Has the Winning Edge?
If you go to bingo to gamble, you're in the wrong place. The bingo hall maintains a much larger edge over the player than virtually any casino or racetrack. A bingo hall that returns 60 percent of buy-ins as jackpots keeps 40 percent for itself. This fixed mathematical edge over the player guarantees the house will always make a profit.
Keep in mind that the worst bet in a gambling casino is a certain kind of bet at the craps table, which carries a house edge near 17 percent. In comparison, bingo carries a house edge of 40 percent -- if 60 percent of buy-ins are returned -- or, more than double the house edge in that bad craps bet!
Remember that when it comes down to it, bingo is a game of chance. If you want to increase your chances to win, look for the big paybacks, find poorly attended games with nice guarantees, choose nonduplicate cards, pull out your lucky charms, and, above all, pay attention and have fun! The social atmosphere and thrill of being one number from a bingo are what bring most people to the halls in the first place, so keep enjoying it.
The odds are, if you follow some of the guidelines in this article, you'll enjoy the game of bingo and, hopefully, some type of winnings.
How to Play Online Bingo
Attention, bingo enthusiasts! There are dozens of bingo and bingo-related games on the Internet, available 24 hours a day,
7 days a week. What you'll need is a reasonably updated computer with a modem (a device used to connect your computer to the Internet), Internet access, and a Web-browsing software program. In this article, we'll discuss general rules on how to play online bingo, and some tips to help you keep up with other players and safely collect your winnings. We'll even familiarize you with online terms so you can communicate quickly with other players.
Online bingo games are a lot like games at real bingo halls, but they come without the smoke and the noise. The main bingo card is a pop-up window that contains information such as:
Some Fees Required
While many of the online games themselves are free, most do come at some price. You'll have to wade through ads plastered next to the game cards or in pop-up windows. Plus, you'll need to pay the monthly fee for Internet access. Die-hard online enthusiasts might even choose to invest in a second phone line so they don't tie up the only line.
Some for-pay online games (which require a virtual buy-in using a credit card or check) promise to award big prizes.
How to Play
Getting started:At Bingo.com , players compete for prizes in free games. Before you play any game at Bingo.com, however, you have to sign up for a user name. Be sure to supply a valid e-mail address, or you won't be able to claim prizes. Most of the games are straight-line bingo or coverall.
Each player gets three cards per game, which appear in a special pop-up window with the bingo tote board and a chat area (and a lot of advertisements). The pattern players have to match appears in the upper right corner of the bingo window. The Bingo.com computer calls numbers at random. As numbers are called, players "daub" their cards with a click of the mouse. When a player's card matches the pattern, he or she hits the "Bingo" button.
Prizes:While there are some cash prizes at Bingo.com (for example, on Mondays all winners are automatically entered in a drawing for $50 in cash), don't expect the stakes to be too high for most online games. At Bingo.com, most games are worth a set amount of "bingo bucks." A straight-line bingo might be worth 20 bingo bucks. If more than one player wins, they split the bucks. Every 1,000 bingo bucks can be redeemed for a $10 gift certificate.
The winnings for progressive blackout are a lot higher, and can easily top 1,500 bingo bucks, but the odds are no different than they are in the real bingo hall. People can play for days and never even come close to hitting the blackout.
Socializing: If you spend lon g enough on Internet bingo games, you will start to recognize the user names of certain regulars. Some games are downright chatty, while others are uncomfortably silent (or peacefully quiet, depending on your perspective). Socializing is not mandatory. You may choose to just sit at your computer and play. If you don't like a particular person's chatter -- you may find them to be rude or annoying, perhaps -- you can just click on their name and hit the "Ignore" button, and they're history.
Also, you can click on the "Private Chat" button to send a confidential message to another player. You may not find that you have a whole lot of time to socialize, however, because the online "caller" (basically just a little box where the current number appears) may churn out several numbers seemingly as fast as you click the mouse. After just a few games, though, it becomes easier to keep up with the caller, and you may find yourself with extra time to surf other bingo games at Web sites like Uproar.com and BingoMania .
Potential pitfalls: Sometimes online bingo doesn't go as smoothly as it would at the local bingo hall. The card face may not fit on the screen. The game could get terribly slow, depending on your connection speed, the quality of the Internet service provider, the amount of traffic on the Internet, or problems with the Web site itself. A player may get disconnected from a game because of heavy Internet traffic, or because the Web site itself is so busy that it can't handle all the requests. A heavy dose of patience may be required.
Online bingo players also should be careful of other potential pitfalls, like false bingo sites. In the next section we'll discuss tips on how you can play it safe and still enjoy your bingo experience.
Online bingo games are a lot like games at real bingo halls, but they come without the smoke and the noise. The main bingo card is a pop-up window that contains information such as:
- your card faces (usually three)
- the current number and a tote board of previously called numbers
- a list of current players
- a "chat room" where players can type a few quick words to each other between games. To chat during the game, players type into the chat box under their cards and press the 'Enter' key on the keyboard.
Some Fees Required
While many of the online games themselves are free, most do come at some price. You'll have to wade through ads plastered next to the game cards or in pop-up windows. Plus, you'll need to pay the monthly fee for Internet access. Die-hard online enthusiasts might even choose to invest in a second phone line so they don't tie up the only line.
Some for-pay online games (which require a virtual buy-in using a credit card or check) promise to award big prizes.
How to Play
Getting started:At Bingo.com , players compete for prizes in free games. Before you play any game at Bingo.com, however, you have to sign up for a user name. Be sure to supply a valid e-mail address, or you won't be able to claim prizes. Most of the games are straight-line bingo or coverall.
Each player gets three cards per game, which appear in a special pop-up window with the bingo tote board and a chat area (and a lot of advertisements). The pattern players have to match appears in the upper right corner of the bingo window. The Bingo.com computer calls numbers at random. As numbers are called, players "daub" their cards with a click of the mouse. When a player's card matches the pattern, he or she hits the "Bingo" button.
Prizes:While there are some cash prizes at Bingo.com (for example, on Mondays all winners are automatically entered in a drawing for $50 in cash), don't expect the stakes to be too high for most online games. At Bingo.com, most games are worth a set amount of "bingo bucks." A straight-line bingo might be worth 20 bingo bucks. If more than one player wins, they split the bucks. Every 1,000 bingo bucks can be redeemed for a $10 gift certificate.
The winnings for progressive blackout are a lot higher, and can easily top 1,500 bingo bucks, but the odds are no different than they are in the real bingo hall. People can play for days and never even come close to hitting the blackout.
Socializing: If you spend lon g enough on Internet bingo games, you will start to recognize the user names of certain regulars. Some games are downright chatty, while others are uncomfortably silent (or peacefully quiet, depending on your perspective). Socializing is not mandatory. You may choose to just sit at your computer and play. If you don't like a particular person's chatter -- you may find them to be rude or annoying, perhaps -- you can just click on their name and hit the "Ignore" button, and they're history.
Also, you can click on the "Private Chat" button to send a confidential message to another player. You may not find that you have a whole lot of time to socialize, however, because the online "caller" (basically just a little box where the current number appears) may churn out several numbers seemingly as fast as you click the mouse. After just a few games, though, it becomes easier to keep up with the caller, and you may find yourself with extra time to surf other bingo games at Web sites like Uproar.com and BingoMania .
Potential pitfalls: Sometimes online bingo doesn't go as smoothly as it would at the local bingo hall. The card face may not fit on the screen. The game could get terribly slow, depending on your connection speed, the quality of the Internet service provider, the amount of traffic on the Internet, or problems with the Web site itself. A player may get disconnected from a game because of heavy Internet traffic, or because the Web site itself is so busy that it can't handle all the requests. A heavy dose of patience may be required.
Online bingo players also should be careful of other potential pitfalls, like false bingo sites. In the next section we'll discuss tips on how you can play it safe and still enjoy your bingo experience.
Online Bingo Tips
Just because you have a computer and a working knowledge of bingo, that doesn't automatically make you an expert at online bingo. The following tips will point you toward a successful online bingo experience.
Safety Guidelines
Many people are afraid that the Internet is full of hackers who will corrupt their computer or steal their credit card number. But playing bingo on the Web shouldn't be a security risk, as long as you observe some simple rules.
Make sure the site is legit. Some gambling sites are perpetrated by shady characters who, in different circumstances, might try to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. Other sites are just so disorganized that it's nearly impossible to sort through all the passwords, registration numbers, and Web pages, and if you win a prize, you might not see it for months (if at all) due to disorganized Web masters.
Unfortunately, there's no "Better Business Bureau" that specializes in online bingo, particularly with regard to the sites that want your credit card number to play. There should be no problem at all with the "free" sites offered by the big boys of the Web ( Uproar , Excite , Gamesville , Bingo.com ). If you have doubts about a for-pay site, see if the proprietors address issues of security and privacy (some post "Privacy Policy" statements or descriptions of the security measures they use).
Visit bingo message boards online to see if anyone has reported getting ripped off; the Bingo Bugle Web site offers a feedback column where people can report problems with online bingo games. One site, Bingo!@WinnerOnline , reviews several popular pay-bingo sites.
Don't give out your password. Pick a unique password to protect your account -- preferably one that would be difficult for others to guess. If you forget it, don't worry -- most sites will give you a hint or the option of receiving the password at a private e-mail address.
Beware of Web sites that promise big money. And certainly don't give out your credit card number! Veteran Internet bingo players can tell horror stories about prizes that never arrived and online accounts that weren't credited on time, if ever.
Look for free games. Try sticking to well-trafficked Web sites that promise fun first and prizes for little or no investment on your part. That way, if they aren't up to snuff, you can simply move on, a little wiser and no poorer.
Online Bingo Lingo
When you find a game of bingo to play on the Internet, you may be confused by the alphabet soup that spills out of the chat area while the game is taking place. In order to keep up with the breakneck pace of the virtual bingo caller and, more important, in order to socialize, computer bingo players use shorthand for a variety of common expressions. Below is a sampling of the most common abbreviations you'll see online:
Safety Guidelines
Many people are afraid that the Internet is full of hackers who will corrupt their computer or steal their credit card number. But playing bingo on the Web shouldn't be a security risk, as long as you observe some simple rules.
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If the numbers are coming in fits and starts, you may find it hard to keep up. At Bingo.com and other sites, you can do a quick spot-check by clicking with your mouse on open squares. If a square has been called, it will register as a daub. This is helpful if you want to grab a snack from the fridge or take a phone call during a coverall game. Some pay sites, including CyberBingo.com, have an "auto daub" option to bring called numbers to your attention. A false bingo (clicking the bingo button at the wrong time) slows down the game on everybody else's computer. Players who have too many false bingos in a day might be penalized. |
Unfortunately, there's no "Better Business Bureau" that specializes in online bingo, particularly with regard to the sites that want your credit card number to play. There should be no problem at all with the "free" sites offered by the big boys of the Web ( Uproar , Excite , Gamesville , Bingo.com ). If you have doubts about a for-pay site, see if the proprietors address issues of security and privacy (some post "Privacy Policy" statements or descriptions of the security measures they use).
Visit bingo message boards online to see if anyone has reported getting ripped off; the Bingo Bugle Web site offers a feedback column where people can report problems with online bingo games. One site, Bingo!@WinnerOnline , reviews several popular pay-bingo sites.
Don't give out your password. Pick a unique password to protect your account -- preferably one that would be difficult for others to guess. If you forget it, don't worry -- most sites will give you a hint or the option of receiving the password at a private e-mail address.
Beware of Web sites that promise big money. And certainly don't give out your credit card number! Veteran Internet bingo players can tell horror stories about prizes that never arrived and online accounts that weren't credited on time, if ever.
Look for free games. Try sticking to well-trafficked Web sites that promise fun first and prizes for little or no investment on your part. That way, if they aren't up to snuff, you can simply move on, a little wiser and no poorer.
Online Bingo Lingo
When you find a game of bingo to play on the Internet, you may be confused by the alphabet soup that spills out of the chat area while the game is taking place. In order to keep up with the breakneck pace of the virtual bingo caller and, more important, in order to socialize, computer bingo players use shorthand for a variety of common expressions. Below is a sampling of the most common abbreviations you'll see online:
- 73 (or any other number). If a player just needs O-73 to win, he or she may simply type "73" in the chat area, either to let everybody know or hoping for luck.
- pls. "Please!" If somebody is close to getting a bingo on a big jackpot, they may type this. If the number they need is I-17, they may write "17 pls."
- gl. "Good luck!"
- wtg. "Way to go!" When somebody wins an online bingo, you may see an outpouring of wtg's from the other players.
- gj. "Good job!" An alternative to "wtg."
- tyvm. "Thank you very much." This is shorthand to show gratitude for the well-wishes of other players.
- gg. "Good game." This usually comes from a player who's being a good sport.
- brb. "Be right back." Players use "brb" when they get up for a cup of coffee, need to answer the phone, etc.
- lol. "Laughing out loud." Since nobody can see you laugh online, players will type this to show they appreciated a joke.
- rotfl. "Rolling on the floor, laughing." The joke must have been really funny.
After becoming familiar with the online vocabulary and safety tips, you are ready for a game of online bingo. So where can you find a bingo game? Check the last page for a directory of bingo Web sites.
Directory of Bingo Web Sites
The Internet is not only a great place to play bingo for fun or prizes -- it's also a great place to learn more about the game, buy paraphernalia and good-luck trinkets, and, of course, meet and chat with other bingo fans. Below, you will find some links to get you started in your online bingo trek.
Bingo.com ( www.bingo.com ) offers a variety of "live" bingo games that can be played in real-time with other Web surfers. Also offers "Planet Bingo Buck" sweepstakes, bingo marathons, and special tournaments for happy hour, lunch hour, and more, depending on the day of the week.
Bingo! @ WinnerOnline ( www.winneronline.com/bingo/bingo.htm ) is an indispensable guide to everything you need to start playing bingo online. They post their own reviews as well as user reviews of dozens of sites, including free games and pay games. Find out the rules of online bingo, where you can find the biggest jackpots, and what free bingo game rates as the favorite of online players. If you have questions about online bingo, check out the message boards, where you can talk with other players.
Bingo Buddies ( www.bingobuddies.com ) is the home page for a fun bingo program you download to your computer. The object is to play against three computer "Bingo Buddies" and win virtual cash in different venues, starting with the Bingo Buddies Room. Through Bingo Buddies, it's possible to learn some of the basics of money management and odds. For example, while the Buddies play only one card each, you can play up to three cards, if you can afford it, giving you more chances to win. Once your bankroll gets fat enough, you can move on to Church Bingo and compete with up to 60 other players, then Cruise Ship Bingo, and, finally, Las Vegas Bingo.
Bingo Bugle ( www.bingobugle.com ) is the online companion to the free monthly Bingo Bugle newspaper published in many areas of the United States and Canada. This site offers lots of fun links to click through, including Bingo News, Astrology (to figure out your lucky days, of course), the Aunt Bingo advice column, and even "Dream Lady," a column written by a dream interpreter. The Bingo Finder, which lists bingos all over North America, is an exceptionally handy feature.
BingoSeek.com ( www.bingoseek.com ) is a bingo search engine that provides some special features, including a Bingo Forum for discussions, and bingo stories and poetry. It also offers a wealth of casino information, and it allows users to submit a link to their own bingo-related sites.
Bingo! The Documentary ( www.strangelife.com/bingodoc/bingoframe.html ). This 90-minute, real-life, unrehearsed movie is about the hope, loyalty, and obsession that bingo inspires in people. The cast of off-the-wall characters, real bingo fans from Seattle, New York, Boston, Texas, England, Ireland, Scotland, and the Caribbean, inspired The Simpsons creator Matt Groening to call it "a surprisingly funny and touching documentary." Contains mature language. The collector's edition of the movie includes Bingo City, a short adventure comedy about two grandmothers who escape a New York City retirement home and hitchhike to Texas with dreams of hitting the high-stakes bingo jackpot.
CyberBingo ( www.cyberbingo.net ), established in 1996, claims to be "the Internet's largest online bingo hall." They have more than 300 daily bingo games and offer $10,000 and $15,000 jackpots every eight minutes, plus various other jackpots. You earn points with every bingo card you buy that can be used for chances to win cash or prizes in "Second Chance" bingo games.
Lycos Gamesville ( www.gamesville.com ) is a popular free site that features games such as three-eyed bingo (match the pattern on all three cards) and easy win coverall (a blackout-style game).
What Bingo? ( www.whatbingo.com ) is a search engine for bingo information. The site includes updated bingo news from Yahoo! and 15 searchable categories of links, including Bingo Directories, Bingo Online, and Bingo Cruises. For each bingo link, Web surfers can click on a button and "Rate it!" from 1 to 10. The site also offers a lot of casino information, and it allows users to submit a link to their own bingo-related sites.
The general rules, safety guidelines, and various Web sites mentioned in this article should provide you with hours of free and challenging online bingo fun.
Bingo.com ( www.bingo.com ) offers a variety of "live" bingo games that can be played in real-time with other Web surfers. Also offers "Planet Bingo Buck" sweepstakes, bingo marathons, and special tournaments for happy hour, lunch hour, and more, depending on the day of the week.
Bingo! @ WinnerOnline ( www.winneronline.com/bingo/bingo.htm ) is an indispensable guide to everything you need to start playing bingo online. They post their own reviews as well as user reviews of dozens of sites, including free games and pay games. Find out the rules of online bingo, where you can find the biggest jackpots, and what free bingo game rates as the favorite of online players. If you have questions about online bingo, check out the message boards, where you can talk with other players.
Bingo Buddies ( www.bingobuddies.com ) is the home page for a fun bingo program you download to your computer. The object is to play against three computer "Bingo Buddies" and win virtual cash in different venues, starting with the Bingo Buddies Room. Through Bingo Buddies, it's possible to learn some of the basics of money management and odds. For example, while the Buddies play only one card each, you can play up to three cards, if you can afford it, giving you more chances to win. Once your bankroll gets fat enough, you can move on to Church Bingo and compete with up to 60 other players, then Cruise Ship Bingo, and, finally, Las Vegas Bingo.
Bingo Bugle ( www.bingobugle.com ) is the online companion to the free monthly Bingo Bugle newspaper published in many areas of the United States and Canada. This site offers lots of fun links to click through, including Bingo News, Astrology (to figure out your lucky days, of course), the Aunt Bingo advice column, and even "Dream Lady," a column written by a dream interpreter. The Bingo Finder, which lists bingos all over North America, is an exceptionally handy feature.
BingoSeek.com ( www.bingoseek.com ) is a bingo search engine that provides some special features, including a Bingo Forum for discussions, and bingo stories and poetry. It also offers a wealth of casino information, and it allows users to submit a link to their own bingo-related sites.
Bingo! The Documentary ( www.strangelife.com/bingodoc/bingoframe.html ). This 90-minute, real-life, unrehearsed movie is about the hope, loyalty, and obsession that bingo inspires in people. The cast of off-the-wall characters, real bingo fans from Seattle, New York, Boston, Texas, England, Ireland, Scotland, and the Caribbean, inspired The Simpsons creator Matt Groening to call it "a surprisingly funny and touching documentary." Contains mature language. The collector's edition of the movie includes Bingo City, a short adventure comedy about two grandmothers who escape a New York City retirement home and hitchhike to Texas with dreams of hitting the high-stakes bingo jackpot.
CyberBingo ( www.cyberbingo.net ), established in 1996, claims to be "the Internet's largest online bingo hall." They have more than 300 daily bingo games and offer $10,000 and $15,000 jackpots every eight minutes, plus various other jackpots. You earn points with every bingo card you buy that can be used for chances to win cash or prizes in "Second Chance" bingo games.
Lycos Gamesville ( www.gamesville.com ) is a popular free site that features games such as three-eyed bingo (match the pattern on all three cards) and easy win coverall (a blackout-style game).
What Bingo? ( www.whatbingo.com ) is a search engine for bingo information. The site includes updated bingo news from Yahoo! and 15 searchable categories of links, including Bingo Directories, Bingo Online, and Bingo Cruises. For each bingo link, Web surfers can click on a button and "Rate it!" from 1 to 10. The site also offers a lot of casino information, and it allows users to submit a link to their own bingo-related sites.
The general rules, safety guidelines, and various Web sites mentioned in this article should provide you with hours of free and challenging online bingo fun.
How to Play Electronic Bingo
Is "computers-plus-bingo" a winning combination? With electronic
bingo machines, you can keep track of more cards than you thought humanly possible. But electronic bingo isn't the best option for everyone. Before you ditch the paper cards, this article will review the basics of what you should know about electronic bingo.
Below are some options to consider if you want to play this traditional game with updated technology.
Handheld Bingo Devices
Computers are changing the way we do everything -- even playing bingo in bingo halls. In the past few years, more and more bingo enthusiasts have been ditching paper cards. Instead, they are using handheld, portable electronic bingo devices that allow them to play dozens of cards at the same time with a minimum amount of effort. Many players find electronic bingo minders permit them to double, or even triple, the number of cards they can play. In some halls, as many as 20 percent of players are using these electronic bingo devices.
The best part about handheld bingo devices is that they usually have a tracking mechanism so players will never miss a bingo, even if they are playing dozens of cards.
The end result is that novice players can track as many cards as experienced players without a problem. Also, players with physical disabilities might be able to enjoy bingo for the first time using one of these devices.
Players using these devices simply sit at the table, listen for the caller to call the next number, then punch the corresponding keys on the machine. The computer automatically scans the player's bingo cards to see if the player has that number. If one of the cards gets a bingo, it's up to the player to alert the caller by yelling "bingo," and show that he or she has the winning card face.
Many different types of bingo computers exist. Power Player, one of the more advanced systems, features a full-color screen showing up to 12 cards at a time, sound effects, and a small onscreen character (Lil' Champ) who keeps track of the game. Some handheld computers can hold up to 200 cards per game, though certain halls may regulate the number of cards that can be played at one time.
Most jurisdictions have a limit (in Texas, for example, no more than 66 card faces per machine are permitted in any single game). This limit probably stems in part from bingo hall owners' fear that traditional card players will stop coming if the players with the machines start winning all the time.
Video Bingo Machines
Another high-tech form of bingo is the video bingo machine, which is similar to a stand-alone video poker or video slot machine. While these machines aren't widespread across the United States, video bingo can be a fun, even productive, way for people to pass the time while waiting for traditional bingo games to start.
Each game of video bingo costs at least a quarter but usually no more than a dollar. The payout of these machines is typically 80 to 90 percent. In other words, for every dollar put in, the machine returns 80 to 90 cents in winnings. Prizes run up to $1,000, depending on how much money is wagered. To claim winnings, the player pushes the onscreen "cash out" button, and the machine prints out a ticket that can be redeemed for cash.
Video bingo machines sometimes are linked with machines in other places. Evergreen is one game that is commonly linked to more than one machine. The object in evergreen is to get four corners on an electronic bingo card of the player's choosing (cards can be changed before each round begins). Balls from B-1 to O-75 are randomly picked by the computer and displayed on screen. Players whose card shows the number have three seconds to hit the "Daub" button.
If two or more players get four corners at the same time, the pot is split. A large progressive jackpot is available for any player who gets four corners in the first four balls.
Keno Isn't Bingo
Keno is a grid game that is often lumped in (perhaps unfairly) with bingo. Keno has its roots in China, and it was Chinese immigrants who introduced the game to the United States at the end of the 19th century.
In the modern electronic keno game, players pick a few numbers (from 1 to 80) on a card and insert that card into a computer, which prints out a ticket showing their chosen numbers. Then, the computer selects numbers at random. Players win prizes based on how many of their picks match the computer selections.
Bingo players looking for ways to spice up the traditional game can find some relief with electronic bingo. Which technology they choose depends on how they want to enhance the game.
Handheld Bingo Devices
Computers are changing the way we do everything -- even playing bingo in bingo halls. In the past few years, more and more bingo enthusiasts have been ditching paper cards. Instead, they are using handheld, portable electronic bingo devices that allow them to play dozens of cards at the same time with a minimum amount of effort. Many players find electronic bingo minders permit them to double, or even triple, the number of cards they can play. In some halls, as many as 20 percent of players are using these electronic bingo devices.
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So who really wins here? Does an electronic bingo player with 66 cards have a greater chance of winning? Having more cards gives you a slight edge, but not that much. A player with 200 cards will have an advantage over players with only a dozen cards, but, when 20 other people in the hall also have 200 cards, the advantage is no longer significant. (Besides, players who regularly play 200 cards at once would also have to regularly pay for 200 cards at once, which could have a disastrous effect on the wallet.) |
Players using these devices simply sit at the table, listen for the caller to call the next number, then punch the corresponding keys on the machine. The computer automatically scans the player's bingo cards to see if the player has that number. If one of the cards gets a bingo, it's up to the player to alert the caller by yelling "bingo," and show that he or she has the winning card face.
Many different types of bingo computers exist. Power Player, one of the more advanced systems, features a full-color screen showing up to 12 cards at a time, sound effects, and a small onscreen character (Lil' Champ) who keeps track of the game. Some handheld computers can hold up to 200 cards per game, though certain halls may regulate the number of cards that can be played at one time.
Most jurisdictions have a limit (in Texas, for example, no more than 66 card faces per machine are permitted in any single game). This limit probably stems in part from bingo hall owners' fear that traditional card players will stop coming if the players with the machines start winning all the time.
Video Bingo Machines
Another high-tech form of bingo is the video bingo machine, which is similar to a stand-alone video poker or video slot machine. While these machines aren't widespread across the United States, video bingo can be a fun, even productive, way for people to pass the time while waiting for traditional bingo games to start.
Each game of video bingo costs at least a quarter but usually no more than a dollar. The payout of these machines is typically 80 to 90 percent. In other words, for every dollar put in, the machine returns 80 to 90 cents in winnings. Prizes run up to $1,000, depending on how much money is wagered. To claim winnings, the player pushes the onscreen "cash out" button, and the machine prints out a ticket that can be redeemed for cash.
Video bingo machines sometimes are linked with machines in other places. Evergreen is one game that is commonly linked to more than one machine. The object in evergreen is to get four corners on an electronic bingo card of the player's choosing (cards can be changed before each round begins). Balls from B-1 to O-75 are randomly picked by the computer and displayed on screen. Players whose card shows the number have three seconds to hit the "Daub" button.
If two or more players get four corners at the same time, the pot is split. A large progressive jackpot is available for any player who gets four corners in the first four balls.
Keno Isn't Bingo
Keno is a grid game that is often lumped in (perhaps unfairly) with bingo. Keno has its roots in China, and it was Chinese immigrants who introduced the game to the United States at the end of the 19th century.
In the modern electronic keno game, players pick a few numbers (from 1 to 80) on a card and insert that card into a computer, which prints out a ticket showing their chosen numbers. Then, the computer selects numbers at random. Players win prizes based on how many of their picks match the computer selections.
Bingo players looking for ways to spice up the traditional game can find some relief with electronic bingo. Which technology they choose depends on how they want to enhance the game.
Originally Published: Oct 25, 2006
Bingo FAQ
How do you play bingo?
Players use cards that feature five columns of five squares each, with every square containing a number. The object is to listen for the numbers that appear on the cards to be called. When one is called, the player marks the square.
How do you win bingo?
The first person to complete a predetermined pattern of marked numbers is the winner.
Can you win money playing bingo?
The usual prize at bingo is cash, from $50 or $100 for a simple bingo at a small hall all the way up to $1 million or more in special high-stakes games on Native American reservations or in casinos. But the prize can also be a car, a trip or even novelty prizes.
Can you cheat at bingo?
Whatever you do, don't try to alter a bingo card! It's not worth it, and no experienced bingo manager or caller will fall for it. Many, if not most, halls will be happy to make an example of anyone caught cheating.
How can I play bingo online?
There are dozens of bingo and bingo-related games on the Internet, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While many of the online games themselves are free, most do come at some price.
