Avoid Looking like an Idiot in Bingo Halls
Most people’s first thoughts when stepping into a bingo hall go like this: there’s nothing to this game….all I have to do is mark the numbers they call on my card and yell, “Bingo!” But this line of thinking can end up making you look like a fool since there are a lot of intricacies one should know before visiting a bingo hall or parlor. In the spirit of keeping you from looking like an idiot in a bingo hall, here are some of the things you should avoid doing.
Yelling anything other than “Bingo” when you win
When you’ve got one number left to go on your card, the anticipation of winning is incredible. And this anticipation can turn to pure excitement when that final number is called on your card. Those who are unused to winning might say something like “I won!” instead of what you should say in “Bingo.” Your fellow players are already going to be mad enough that they didn’t win so don’t add fuel to their fire by yelling something other than Bingo after a winning.
Yelling “Bingo” when you didn’t win
Even worse than yelling something other than “Bingo” is yelling Bingo when you didn’t win. This happens a lot with people who don’t pay attention while they’re playing, and they mark off a wrong number. When it does happen, this is an extremely embarrassing situation since your card will be checked in front of everyone, and they will know that you didn’t get a Bingo. So do yourself a favor and always focus on the game at hand when playing.
Failing to read the bingo hall’s rules before sitting down to play
For the most part, bingo is a pretty straightforward game with common rules. Even still, each bingo hall and parlor likes to keep its own set of rules and it is your job to know these rules before buying a card. Anytime you start playing at a new bingo establishment, find the person in charge of the place and ask them for a list of their hall’s rules. Just this one act will save you a whole lot of headaches.
Getting Caught Cheating
Even though bingo is supposed to be a game of chance, some people have chosen to try and manipulate the game into their favor by cheating. The most common way to cheat in bingo is by marking a number(s) on the card with pen or marker to make it look like a different number. A few players may get away with this, but the vast majority will get caught when their winning card is examined and subsequently kicked out of the hall! If you thought mistakenly yelling “Bingo” was embarrassing, it’s nothing compared to being caught cheating.
Not saying “Bingo” loud enough
Getting back to the simple act of yelling “Bingo”, you need to make sure and yell this loud enough when you win. If you fail to say it loud enough and the caller doesn’t hear you before someone else yells Bingo, you will lose. Sure this won’t make you look like a total idiot, but it will cost you a win and possibly an argument if you choose to dispute the loss.
Talking too much during the game
Bingo halls are a great place to meet people and socialize. However, it’s up to you to keep this socializing at a minimum because it can be distracting to other players – especially when you’re talking during the games. Excessive talking could lead the caller or one of the other officials to politely ask you to quiet down. And while they may be cordial about it, being treated like an attention seeking 4th grader is not going to make you look good in front of your bingo peers. You might even get separated from your friends this way too.
Listening to music too loudly
In this age of iPods, people have the opportunity to listen to their own music in pretty much any setting. This is especially true in bingo halls and parlors since players who don’t feel like talking can just listen to their iPod (or other music device during the game). However, two major problems arise when listening to loud music during a game. The first one is that the music can bother fellow players if you have it up loud enough; the second problem is that you yourself won’t be able to hear the numbers called. In either case, you will be looking like a fool if your music is too loud.
Not coming prepared
One more thing that can make you look silly in front of the bingo parlor is when you don’t come prepared. And being prepared means bringing enough money to the hall, having an extra dauber with you in case your first one runs out, and bringing anything else you might need for the game. The key is to make a mental checklist of everything you need before setting foot out of the house.
