Bingo! Everyone knows what it means to hear someone yell that word in a busy gaming hall. It signals that someone just became a winner. In this article, we will take a look at the game of bingo, explore what makes it so popular in New Jersey, and learn more about the overall attraction of this fun, exciting, social game of chance.
What we cover
But First, A Few Stats
Bingo is so popular in the United States that there is a day set aside each year (June 27) that is known as National Bingo Day. It is a day to recognize one of the most interesting of the gambling games that people play for entertainment. The popularity of the game extends to online bingo sites with signup bonuses as well. A survey conducted on a recent National Bingo Day revealed that the top ten states that play the most bingo were as follows:
Nevada
Alabama
Kentucky
Tennessee
Indiana
Maryland
North Carolina
Minnesota
Connecticut
Florida
The survey shows that out of all the participants in the research, 73% of them have won at least one bingo in their lives. Of those surveyed, 77% said they found playing bingo something fun to do. A further 89% claim that they typically play bingo as a way to socialize with others and, 71% of the respondents point to bingo as a stress reliever.
The Mechanics Of Bingo
If on the offhand chance you have never set foot inside a local bingo hall – and chances are there is one down the street from where you live – the game is far from complicated. Players pay a small fee for bingo cards. These are large-format cards that contain 25 spots with random numbers. The Numbers appear in columns where five random digits from 1-15 are under the B, 16-30 are below the I, 31-45 are under the N, 46-60 fall under the G, and 61-75 are under the O. The center box on the card is a FREE spot.
A caller announces numbers drawn at random in the form of bingo balls. An example would be I-33. Players with I-33 on their cards would mark it off and continue to mark off called numbers until bingo is declared. Games have many different guidelines. Sometimes the game is to see who scores a bingo first by forming an “X” on a bingo card from the numbers called. Often, bingo is a “blackout” game. This is when all of the numbers on a card are called. These games take longer in duration. When more than one player scores a bingo in a game, the cash prize is split between the winners. After a winning game, another game will start once players purchase new cards. A bingo session can involve several different games.
Who Plays Bingo?
In the United States and Canada, 75-ball bingo is the standard. In the United Kingdom, they play 90-ball bingo. The North American version is a fundraising activity a variety of different non-profit organizations will host. In some locations, bingo nights or afternoons are hosted at such facilities as a seniors hall, or legion and are hosted by a local non-profit to raise funds for a worthy cause.
These games attract various residents who are mostly regular bingo players. For most, it is a social activity that gets them out of the house for a period and permits visiting and socializing. What makes bingo so attractive is that it is one of the few games of chance where players only need to know the basics before play can begin. It is not difficult to understand the rules which mean bingo is a great game for beginners.
New Jersey Casino Bingo
Commercial bingo games are different from those operated by non-profit organizations. Commercial operations have restrictions keeping them in casinos, both land-based and online. Depending on the casino, players can participate in hour-long sessions played at unusual hours compared to non-profit bingo games. Commercial casinos in New Jersey hold bingo games at times that fall between 9 AM and 11 PM daily with prizes that are modest in comparison to some of the prizes available at non-profit bingos according to the New Jersey Business Magazine.
There are exceptions, such as the bingo halls in the Canadian province of Quebec where several operators have linked together in much the same fashion as progressive slot machines are. With this sort of arrangement, the prizes grow quicker and become far bigger than the ones offered at single casino sites. Plus, bingo is available at most online casinos in New Jersey per New Jersey Monthly Magazine. Again, not huge prizes, but very easy to play on a computer or handheld device.
A Bit O’ History
Bingo is not a new game. The roots of the game go back to when it was formally invented in 1929. Since that time, today’s game of bingo has evolved into many different variations, with complete rules on how to play each different version of the game. Another bonus to the game is the way the 25-number card lends itself to a huge selection of different patterns that score a bingo.
As mentioned above, playing an “X” is common, but so is a box where all the numbers on the outer edge of the card are called. Other games are to form an “E’ or “F” or countless other configurations. These variations are used to keep the gameplay interesting and to change the game up enough to keep attracting players. But since bingo is so easy to play and social activity, it will always have a certain draw to it where people will participate in the game to try to win a few bucks.
Final Thoughts
Bingo is big in the US and Canada and although New Jersey is not on the top ten list of the most active bingo playing states, that does not mean the game is not popular there. New Jersey casinos offer bingo both in-house and online because they know it attracts players who are not interested in learning specific strategies as required for other casino games like blackjack or poker. In other words, bingo is easy to learn, fun to play, and may even win you a cash prize just by playing!
