How to play Bingo

Bingo is best played with a group of people - half a dozen or more is best.
One person is designated as the “caller” and the rest are the “players”. Note that for Stateside Bingo a caller is not absolutely necessary as the computer can call out the numbers, but somebody needs to operate the computer - to print the cards, pause the calling, check the winning cards etc.

Bingo cards
Bingo cards are laid out like the card opposite, with 5 columns and 5 rows. Each column is headed by one the letters B.I.N.G.O.

The “B” column has 5 random numbers from 1 to 15, the “I” column has 5 numbers from 16 to 30, the “N” has 4 random numbers from 31 to 45 and a FREE square etc.

Each “player” is issued with at least 1 card. A strip of 3 cards would cover all the numbers from 1 to 75 with 3 FREE squares.

Game patterns
Before the game starts, the “caller” selects the game patterns that will be played.

“4 Outer Corners” is selected as the first pattern to play in the picture opposite, followed by “Any Line Across, Down or Diagonal” etc.
The pattern can also be shown graphically on the Callers screen.

20 game patterns are included but more can be added by using the pattern editor.

Once the game has started, the game pattern can’t be changed.

Bingo caller
The “caller” starts the game and calls out the letter and number that appears on the screen - “G57” in this case.

The calling can be manually controlled or can be fully automatic - calling out a number at a set time interval.

Calling continues until somebody claims “BINGO”

Marking your card
As the numbers are called out the players check to see if the called number appears anywhere on their card.

If it does, it’s marked off as shown opposite.

When a winning combination has been marked off - a ‘diagonal line’ in this example - the player shouts “BINGO” to stop the game.

If playing by proper bingo rules (optional) the claim for a win must be made before the next number is called out.

Checking the winning card
The caller then immediately stops the game and checks that the numbers on the winning line have actually been
called out.

If the numbers have been called out then the claim is good and the game either moves on to a “Cover All” or ends.
If the claim is false, then play continues until a good claim is made.

If you have printed your cards using the bingo software, just type the serial number of the winning card into the box and the software will check it for you.
Quick, easy and without mistakes.

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Site updated:
25 March 2008 

Copyright 2005-2008 Lee Madder. All rights reserved.