Bingo Rules and Etiquette

 

What happens when somebody gets the bingo card pattern? The customary way to announce that you've won is simply to yell "Bingo!" loud enough for the caller to hear. Once bingo is called, you will come to the front table right away to verify the bingo.The helper will call out the winning numbers for the caller to verify.  Disputes are not that common -- either you bingo or you don't -- but when discrepancies pop up, the bingo manager usually has the final say.  If two people call bingo on the same number, the jackpot is split evenly between them. Likewise, if three people call it, the house divides the pot three ways.

 

Bingo Etiquette

Bingo players are a friendly lot who will be more than glad to talk you through any bingo problems you might have. But don't forget that you're on their turf. Miss Manners doesn't have much to say about bingo specifically, so here are some tips to follow to avoid stepping on any toes as you make your way through the bingo hall.

Pipe down. The most important of all unwritten rules. You'll notice that regular players pipe down instantly as soon as the caller gets down to business.

Watch out for lucky seats. Some players are very particular about where they sit. If you grab a seat that happens to be a lucky one, you might be asked to move. It's a good idea to go along with the request.

Don't be a parrot. Some people have a habit of repeating numbers as they are called. This might help them concentrate, but it can be very distracting for other players. Try to keep talking and extra noise to an absolute minimum while numbers are being called.

Keep kids quiet. Most people will understand having kids involved, but they won't tolerate rambunctious youngsters running around and yelling while they are trying to concentrate.

Don't take out your frustrations on the caller. Occasionally, players on a losing streak have been known to express their displeasure by yelling "change the caller" or making other derisive or sarcastic comments the caller can hear. Chill out! The caller can't control destiny. If there is a genuine caller problem, try saying, "Louder, please" or "Slow down, please" loudly but politely. If that doesn't work, take the problem to the bingo manager.

Think before you call bingo. Calling bingo stops the flow of the game. If it's a false bingo, regular players might get exasperated with you, particularly if they've already started clearing up the last game's paper board in frustration.
 

 

* Courtesy of http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/how-to-play-bingo4.htm