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The game of Bingo evolved from the Lo Giuco de Lotto which was the Italian lottery game
that was developed in 1530. In the eighteenth century, the game had changed in France with playing cards, tokens and the reading out of numbers being added to
the game.
The game evolved further into two different versions, the British version and the American version. In 1929 Edwin Lowe took a version of
Beano, a carnival type version of lotto and turned it into the game now played in the USA.
Mecca Bingo was the first commercial bingo establishment to
be built in the UK, courtesy of entrepreneur Eric Morley, in 1961, helped largely by the Betting and Gaming Act (1960).
The British version is based on
ninety numbers and has been widely played in land-based bingo halls in Great Britain, Ireland and Australia. The American or seventy-five number version
predominates elsewhere in the world.
There is now a vast array of bingo sites to play on and choosing between them based on security, help and support,
the loyalty programmes and various jackpots available is best done by using a guide where there is a source of bingo sites information and reviews.
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| UK Bingo |
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 Traditional UK Bingo is 90 ball bingo and can not only be played at the old style bingo halls but you can now play
at hundreds of top bingo sites as well. Online bingo sites offer deals so it's always worth keeping an eye out for these.
A typical bingo strip is shown
to the right. It contains five tickets each with twenty-seven spaces, arranged in nine columns by three rows. Each row contains five numbers and four blank
spaces. Each column contains either one, two, or sometimes three, numbers.
The first column contains numbers from 1 to 9, the second 10 to 19 and so
on.
The game is presided over by a caller, whose job it is to call out the numbers and validate winning tickets. They will announce the prize or prizes
for each game before starting. The caller will then usually say "Eyes down" to indicate that he is about to start. They then begin to call numbers as they are
randomly selected, either by an electronic Random Number Generator (RNG), by drawing counters from a bag or by using balls in a mechanical draw machine.
Calling may take the format of simple repetition in the framework, "Both the fives, fifty five", or "Two and three, twenty three", but some numbers have
special calls due to their significance and their nickname will be called instead. This practice is no longer commonplace in
the UK..
The different winning combinations are:
Line — covering a horizontal line of five numbers on the ticket.
Two Lines — covering
any two lines on the same ticket.
Full House — covering all fifteen numbers on the ticket.
It is normal for a line game to be followed directly
by a two line game and a full house game, or just by a full house game. In all cases, the last number called must be in the winning sequence. If a player does
not stop the game in time and the caller calls out the next number the player's winning claim is often invalidated.
When players first come to a bingo
venue they usually buy a books of tickets, normally between one and six books. Play is divided into sessions with different books, each with a designated
number of pages. Players in the UK usually prefer to buy books of six tickets containing all possible numbers in different combinations.
As each number
is called, players check to see if that number appears on their tickets. If it does, they will mark it with a special marker called a "dabber" or a "dauber".
When all the numbers required to win a prize have been marked off, the player shouts in order to attract the caller's attention. There are no formal rules as
to what can be shouted, but most players will shout one of "Yes", "Bingo", "Line" or "House", depending on the prize. So if you're interested in online bingo
you can read more about online bingo and find new bingo sites.
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| USA Bingo |
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 Players buy printed sheets before the start of each game which are marked with unique sets of numbers, typically from 1
to 75. Each of these cards has different sets of numbers so there are no duplicates in any one Bingo game, giving each player a unique card, although this
doesn't guarantee just one winner. The numbers are aligned in columns marked B, I, N, G, and O respectively with 5 from a range of 15 numbers being printed in
each row, i.e. a random 5 numbers from 1 to 15 in column B, another 5 from 16-30 in column I and so on. In a popular variation of the game, the middle number
on the card is already marked off.
When the game starts the 'caller' draws numbered balls from a tombola and calls them out to the room. If players have
those numbers on any of their cards, they mark them off with a big felt pen called a 'dauber'. In modern games, the bingo caller may call randomly generated
numbers instead, and even be replaced entirely by a computerised screen.
Bingo players try to match the numbers being called to a specific pattern
specified at the start of the game. This pattern may be to mark all four corners of one card, or to cover all the numbers (a pattern called a "Cover-All"), or
to mark off a complete straight line or one of many other patterns as there are lots of different variations. The first person to mark off numbers matching
this pattern shouts out "Bingo" and collects a percentage of the total stake money, or some other prize, it depends on the game rules.
Typical bingo
prize jackpots can be anywhere from a few dollars and plush toys, to thousands of dollars, brand new cars and more. Progressive jackpots on the internet have
seen prizes regularly hit six figure jackpot sums and higher. When playing bingo in the offline bingo halls, you need to be quick and pay attention if you are
going to get anywhere at all. Bingo callers don't exactly hang around so you've got to keep up with the pace they set if you are not going to miss numbers and
thus, greatly reduce your chances of winning.
Online
You usually have some labour saving tools at your disposal. Auto-Daub is an essential
feature, allowing you to play many cards at once with the game itself marking off the numbers for you - absolutely no chance of missing any numbers! You can of
course turn this feature off for a more realistic feel.
You can also buy cards for less online. A typical game card in a bingo hall will cost around $1
per card on average, whilst online you will find them for 10 cents or less. These are great for the casual player who is more interested in the community
aspect than winning the big bucks..
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| UK Origins |
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Bingo in the UK is very different to that in the USA. UK bingo has always been more
commercial than its American counterpart, it was introduced to these isles by a Mr Eric Morley, the man also responsible for the Miss World
competition.
Bingo games were seen as a way of putting the surfeit of cinemas and theatres to good use. In 1950s Britain, an increasingly affluent
society forsook the picture house for the television. Cinema fought back, but attendances declined sharply throughout the decade.
The Gambling Act of
1960 abolished the ban on gambling, which paved the way, and bingo had the added bonus that the fabric of the building would require little alteration for its
new purpose, unlike other conversions of cinemas to shops or bowling alleys. The Gambling Act did not regulate the industry however, and it was known to be a
rather shady business in part.
Although the Government considered outlawing bingo, public protest changed their minds, and instead the Gaming Act of
1968 cleaned the business up considerably. By the early 1970s, the crude bingo blower machines were being replaced by state of the art electronic Random Number
Generators, and in the 1980s, the National Game was introduced, played across many clubs.
Throughout the 1990s, laws governing bingo halls were
increasingly relaxed by the government, but the introduction of the smoking ban was a crushing blow. Bingo halls earn the majority of their money with interval
games, and this income was decimated overnight.
The first 90 number online bingo club was launched in 2005, and since then, both major players and
newcomers have started operating online bingo sites. Although not all have been successful, online bingo games and bringing new players as well as established
ones into play.
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| USA Origins |
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The first real push into the English speaking world came in the late 1920's when a hard
up New York toy salesman by the name of Edwin S. Lowe stumbled across a carnival game in Georgia. The game of Beano, as the booth-owner called it, involved a
caller drawing numbered wooded discs from a bag and shouting them out to the waiting players. Each player had a game card with numbered squares and some dried
beans. Every time a number was called out which was on their card, they would mark it with a bean. The first player to have a straight line of beans, either in
a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction was declared the winner. Such was the popularity of this game that try as he might, Lowe didn't get to play that
night but the idea was formed.
In New York he invited friends over to his appartment to play this new game. They became immediately hooked and at one
point, so excited was one female member of the party, that instead of shouting out "Beano!" to signify she had won, she yelled "Bingo!" instead. The name stuck
and Lowe went on to create the first commercialised version of the game, retailing at $1 for a 12 card set and $2 for a 24 cards.
Bingo found it's way
out of the family room and onto a grand scale thanks to the fund-raising efforts of a priest from Pennsylvania. The priest had seen a great opportunity to
raise money for his church by holding bingo gaming events but had ran into an unfortunate problem. The game cards would produce tens of winners each game
instead of the desired one or two, because they had never been designed to be played en-masse. The subsequent quest to find 6000 cards with 6000 different
number combinations (in the pre-computer age!) took many months.
The Lowe Bingo Game had two versions; the first a 12-card set for $1.00, the second a
$2.00 set with 24 cards. Bingo was a wild success. By the 1940s Bingo games were all over the country. Lowe had many competitors and all he asked was that they
pay $1.00 a year to conduct the games and to use the name Bingo. |
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| Are You New To Bingo? |
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If you’re considering playing online bingo for the very first time, you can rest assured
you’ll be joining a global gaming phenomenon that is continually increasing in popularity. No longer is bingo just a game for old ladies; it is played by
people of all ages, all sexes and a variety of cultures.
Online bingo offers players a chance to play a wide and varied range of bingo games and slots
games, which you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Of course online bingo can also be played on mobile phones or tablets meaning you can play from
just about anywhere including when you’re travelling to or from work, wanting to have a bit of fun on your lunch-break, or just wanting to idle away a few
minutes trying to win cash prizes that range from £30 right up to jackpots that can run into tens of thousands of pounds and sometimes hundreds of
thousands of pounds.
The fun doesn’t stop there though as many online bingo sites have online forums, chat-rooms, newsrooms and community rooms.
Even better, many online bingo sites offer new customers free-play cash, bonus cash and bonus rewards schemes for players to take advantage of, whilst many
have continuing bonus rewards and VIP clubs in which members can accumulate points every time they play a game of bingo, and then use these points to claim
prizes and rewards once they’ve reached a certain total..
New Customer Free Bets
New customers will often be given free-money to play
with simply for becoming a member, whilst on some sites a small deposit will be doubled or even trebled. There may be some terms and conditions that apply
before you can withdraw any winnings from free-play money (often have to play it through a few times) but remember you can have loads of fun with that money
– for FREE!
Design and Appearance
Most of the online bingo sites are really aesthetically pleasing and incorporate wonderful vibrant
colours and state-of-the-art graphics. The sites tend to be really helpful as well with full games schedules telling you what types of bingo games you can
play, countdown clocks to when the bingo games are starting, how much the game costs and how much you can win.
Types of games
The most
popular bingo game in the UK is the traditional 90-ball bingo. This is the game that has traditionally been played at bingo halls, clubs and family holiday
resort since bingo was first introduced. Players can win by getting one line, two lines or a full house, and the majority of sites’ rules are
fundamentally the same, though some vary slightly – so always check.
A popular alternative is 75-ball bingo in which players often win when their
numbers make a certain pattern on the bingo card.
Cost of games and prizes
Players can play a game of bingo for just a few pennies and
whilst the prizes for such games are often, though not always, quite small – you can have loads of fun for not a lot of money. If you fancy playing for an
amount of money that winning a jackpot would provide, these games tend to cost a little more – but the bigger the prize the bigger the
thrill.
Online rooms
The online chat-rooms, communities and forums are great places to do a bit of socializing and there are always
like-minded bingo players on them whatever time of day you fancy chatting. They’re also great for asking questions about certain games or rules
you’re unsure of – and the people are always willing to help.
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| Bingo Calling Nicknames |
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| Number |
Nickname |
Explanation |
| 1 |
Kelly's Eye |
Military slang; possibly a reference to Ned Kelly |
| 2 |
One little duck |
From the resemblance of the number 2 to a duck; see '22' |
| Me and you |
Romantic rhyme |
| 3 |
Cup of tea |
Rhyming |
| You and me |
Romantic rhyme |
| 4 |
Knock at the door |
Rhyming |
| 5 |
Man alive |
Rhyming |
| 6 |
Tom Mix |
After Tom Mix, a star of silent era Westerns |
| Half a dozen |
Real |
| 7 |
Lucky for some |
7 is considered a lucky number in some cultures |
| 8 |
Garden gate |
Rhyming |
| 9 |
Doctor's Orders |
Number 9 was a laxative pill given out by army doctors in WWII. |
| 10 |
(David's) Den |
The name refers to whoever currently resides at Number 10 Downing Street. |
| 11 |
Legs Eleven |
A reference to the shape of the number resembling a pair of legs. The players often wolf
whistle in response. |
| 12 |
One dozen |
A reference to there being 12 units in one dozen. |
| 13 |
A baker's dozen |
A reference to there being 13 units in one baker's dozen. |
| 14 |
Valentines day |
Straightforward |
| 15 |
Young and keen |
Rhyming |
| 16 |
Sweet 16, never been kissed |
Custom |
| 17 |
Dancing queen |
Rhyming |
| 18 |
Key of the door |
Coming of age, thus getting the key to the future |
| 19 |
Goodbye teens |
Straightforward |
| 20 |
One score |
Slang for 20 |
| 21 |
Key of the Door |
Coming of age, thus getting the key to the future |
| 22 |
Two little ducks |
Visual imagery |
| 23 |
The Lord is My Shepherd |
The first words of Psalm 23 of the Old Testament |
| 24 |
Knock at the door |
Rhyming |
| 25 |
Duck and dive |
Rhyming |
| 26 |
Two and six, half a crown. |
Pre-decimalised currency in the UK. Also "Pick and mix" |
| 27 |
Duck and a crutch. |
2 looks like a duck 7 looks like a crutch. Also "Gateway to heaven" |
| 28 |
Two and eight, in a state. |
Rhyming. Also "Over weight* |
| 29 |
You're doing fine |
Rhyming |
| 30 |
Burlington Bertie |
Reference to a music hall song of the same name composed in 1900, and a more famous parody
(Burlington Bertie from Bow) written in 1915. |
| Dirty Gertie |
Common rhyme derived from the given name Gertrude, used as a nickname for the statue La
Delivrance installed in North London in 1927. The usage was reinforced by Dirty Gertie from Bizerte, a bawdy song sung by Allied soldiers in North
Africa during the Second World War. |
| 31 |
Get up and run |
Rhyming |
| 32 |
Buckle My Shoe |
Rhyming |
| 33 |
All the threes |
Straightforward |
| 34 |
Ask for more |
Rhyming |
| 35 |
Jump and Jive |
A dance step |
| 36 |
Three dozen |
Straightforward |
| 37 |
A flea in heaven |
Rhyming |
| 38 |
Christmas cake |
Rhyming |
| 39 |
Those famous steps |
John Buchan's THE 39 STEPS – memorably filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1935 |
| 40 |
Life begins at |
Straightforward |
| 41 |
Time for fun |
Rhyming |
| 42 |
Winnie the Poo |
Rhyming |
| 43 |
Down on your knees |
Rhyming |
| 44 |
Droopy drawers |
Rhyme that refers to sagging trousers. |
| 45 |
Halfway there |
Straightforward |
| 46 |
Up to tricks |
Rhyming |
| 47 |
Four and seven |
Straightforward |
| 48 |
Four dozen |
Straightforward |
| 49 |
Rise and shine |
Rhyming. Also "PC", PC 49 was a well known cop show on radio in the 40s and 50s. |
| 50 |
Bulls eye |
Straightforward |
| 51 |
I love my mum |
Rhyming |
| Tweak of the thumb |
Rhyming |
| 52 |
Danny La Rue |
A reference to drag entertainer Danny La Rue. Also used for other numbers ending in '2' (see
'72' below). |
| Chicken vindaloo |
Rhyme introduced by Butlins in 2003. |
| 53 |
Here comes Herbie |
53 is the racing number of Herbie the VW Beetle. Players may reply "beep beep"! Also "Stuck in
the tree". |
| 54 |
House with a bamboo door |
Earl Grant, famous House Of Bamboo lyrics - Number fifty-four, The house with the bamboo
door, Bamboo roof and bamboo walls, They've even got a bamboo floor! |
| 55 |
All the fives |
Straightforward |
| 56 |
Was she worth it? |
This refers to the pre-decimal price of a marriage licence in Britain, 5/6d. The players shout
back "Every Penny". See also 76. |
| 57 |
Heinz Beanz |
Refers to "Heinz 57", the "57 Varieties" slogan of the H. J. Heinz Company. |
| 58 |
Make them wait |
Rhyming |
| 59 |
Brighton Line |
Rhyming |
| 60 |
Blind 60 |
Also "three score" and "five dozen". |
| 61 |
Bakers bun |
Rhyming |
| 62 |
Tickety boo |
Rhyming. Also "Turn on the screw". |
| 63 |
Tickle me |
Rhyming |
| 64 |
The Beatles number |
Also "Red raw" |
| 65 |
Stop work |
A reference to the British age of mandatory retirement. |
| 66 |
Clickety click |
Rhyming |
| 67 |
Made in heaven |
Rhyming |
| 68 |
Saving grace |
Rhyming |
| 69 |
Anyway up. |
Visual. Also "The same both ways", or "your place or mine". |
| 70 |
Three score and ten |
Straightforward |
| 71 |
Bang on the drum |
Rhyming |
| 72 |
Danny La Rue |
Rhyming. Also "A crutch and a duck" or "Par for the course". |
| 73 |
Crutch with a flea |
Also Queen B |
| 74 |
Candy store |
Rhyming |
| 75 |
Strive and strive |
Rhyming |
| 76 |
Trombones |
"Seventy-six Trombones" is a popular marching song. |
| 76 |
Was she worth it? |
This refers to the pre-decimal price of a marriage licence in Britain, 7/6d. The players shout
back "Every Penny" |
| 77 |
Two little crutches |
Visual. Also "Sunset strip". |
| 78 |
Heavens gate |
Rhyming |
| 79 |
One more time |
Rhyming |
| 80 |
Gandhi's Breakfast |
Imagine looking down from above on Gandhi sitting cross-legged in front of a plate. Also
"Eight and blank". |
| 81 |
Stop and run |
Also "Fat lady and a little wee ". |
| 82 |
Fat lady with a duck |
Also "Straight on through ". |
| 83 |
Fat lady with a flea |
Also "Time for tea". |
| 84 |
Seven dozen |
Straightforward |
| 85 |
Staying alive |
Rhyming |
| 86 |
Between the sticks |
Rhyming |
| 87 |
Torquay in Devon |
Rhyming. Also "Fat lady with a crutch". |
| 88 |
Two Fat Ladies |
Visual |
| 89 |
All but one |
Also "Nearly there". |
| 90 |
Top of the shop |
Straightforward reference |
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