Millions of people play bingo and millions more are keen to give it a try. Online bingo now makes it possible for almost anyone to play without leaving the comfort of your home. But if you are new to bingo or it’s been a few years since you played, you should make sure you know the rules.
Now this is not a difficult task because the rules of bingo are both few and easy. Learn the rules and then give yourself some fun – and possibly even some winnings – with a game of bingo.
In short you have a caller, a person who runs the bingo game. He or she calls out individual numbers. These numbers are selected at random by either choosing a card with a number on it or choosing a numbered ball from a box of numbered balls. It’s simply a game of chance although you must have your wits about you.
Every player must have at least one bingo card and the word BINGO must be clearly shown on the top of the card. If you want to increase your chances of winning, you can purchase more cards. Each card will have a series of numbers in columns. The aim is to draw a line between five numbers as they are announced by the caller.
There are other items a player can purchase to play bingo but the minimum is the correct bingo card and a marker to mark your bingo card if your numbers are called.
Some bingo games have variations to their rules. Sometimes the five numbers must be in a certain line or pattern or in any pattern or sometimes they must simply be the correct five numbers.
It’s important that you understand the required version of the correct numbers before you start to play each game. This is where knowing the bingo rules, the simple bingo rules, are so important. You don’t want to obtain the correct numbers only to have them in the wrong pattern. Most bingo games require the winning player to have a single line between the five winning numbers.
The caller always places every called number to one side once each number is announced. This is so any player who claims to have the correct numbers can have their claim verified. Usually the caller is the judge or person who examines any card which claims to be the winner but some games will have an independent person to do this – someone other than the caller.
The end of each game of bingo is clearly defined in the rules. A game is over when the first player to claim all five numbers in the pattern announced for the game has had their claim verified.
One interesting aspect of the formal rules of bingo is that prizes are optional. If you wish to play online bingo or any game for that matter, check to see if there is a prize or reward for the person who wins the game. A prize will be great but for many people the reward is the fun and enjoyment of the game and the people you meet in playing bingo.
By: Sheila Danes
Oct 22
