How the Game is
Played 1) You buy a card (or more)
with numbers printed on it.
2) Numbered balls are drawn out of a machine and called out loudly. 3) You cross off each number on your card that was called out.
4) The first person crossing off a certain pattern this way (a
straight line or similar) shouts "Bingo" and wins.
The Cards Generally, on arrival at the bingo hall,
you buy your card, a few cards or a book of bingo cards at the book-sales
counter. Each book usually consists of five to eight colored bingo
tickets, each color corresponding to a different game. Of course you
can buy books with six or 12 or more tickets, as well. Bingo cards
are usually the "throwaway" type but you may find the
"permanent" type as well: hard-plastic or cardboard with
sliding windows over each number.
In
the USA each bingo card consists of a grid of five columns
and five rows with 24 numbers out of a total of 75 possible
game numbers. Bingo cards come with the word
"Bingo" printed across the top of the five columns
and in the center of the card is a free space. The letter is
called out first, followed by the number. For example: G-55,
I-24,...
In
the UK each bingo card consists of a grid of 9 columns and
three rows with 15 numbers out of a total of 90 possible
game numbers. In the first column numbers 1 to 10 are
listed, in the second 10 to 19, in the third 20 to 29, and
so on, making it very easy for players to know where to go
to cross off the numbers as they are called.
Types of Games Prize arrangements vary from
game to game and from club to club but are commonly available for:
One Line: The
first player to correctly cross off a horizontal line of numbers.
Two Lines:
The first player to correctly cross off two lines, either
horizontally or diagonally.
Full House:
The first player to correctly cross off all the numbers on the
card.
In
the USA each bingo card consists of a grid of five columns
and five rows with 24 numbers out of a total of 75 possible
game numbers. Bingo cards come with the word
"Bingo" printed across the top of the five columns
and in the center of the card is a free space. The letter is
called out first, followed by the number. For example: G-55,
I-24,...
In
the UK each bingo card consists of a grid of 9 columns and
three rows with 15 numbers out of a total of 90 possible
game numbers. In the first column numbers 1 to 10 are
listed, in the second 10 to 19, in the third 20 to 29, and
so on, making it very easy for players to know where to go
to cross off the numbers as they are called.