In the UK, bingo is an old-fashioned game of luck in which each participant plays numbers printed on sheets of card with the squares, columns, and other arrangements for the game master draws at random. The word “bingo” comes from the Old English word “bingu,” meaning a ring. Since the game is played in an enclosed room, it is called “roomshuffle bingo.” The players are required to wear headgear so that they may see each other and mark cards without obstruction.
The bingo game is played on a nine by nine square table, with one number on each side. The game is called “bingo” for the repetition of numbers. Each player receives five cards face down and is given another ten to deal with. The caller is the first to call the bingo. The numbers of cards dealt are also called “queues,” and all the cards must be dealt before the game can begin.
The game has been the favorite pastime of people in the UK since the early Twentieth Century, when it was introduced as a game in the British national bingo hall, “the Queen’s Lanes.” It spread to other British cities, including “Harrow,” “Bristol,” “Northamptonshire,” “Notting Hill,” “Taunton,” and “Wickstow.” Bingo has gained popularity in the United States since the early twentieth century. Today, there are many bingo halls and sites where the game is played.
In the US, the most famous version is the mechanised cash bingo board, or “machines bingo.” There are versions for playing in the US, Canada, and Great Britain. The main difference between the machines and the traditional bingo boards is that the latter contains an electronic bingo card reader and other technological devices. Players can enter their winnings on their personal computers or through a credit card, and these transactions are immediately transferred to the winner.
The mechanics of the game are still the same. One player bids a specific number of points, and then all the other players match this bid amount and the last player still has to call before a winner is declared. There is no limit for the number of bids. If you win using a number ending in ‘9’, for example, you still have to call before someone else wins.
The actual design of the bingo card is relatively simple, despite of the different variations in the types of bingo cards. There are no odd numbers, only zeroes and ones. The usual arrangement of the letters and numbers is also followed, with the exception of the four corners, which are sometimes used for special purposes. The four corners are called the “four-corner” bingo board. To make sure that there is a fair game, there is a “buy now” button right next to the bingo card.
