Bingo in the USA

(Casinos Guides)

In the USA, the modern game of bingo that is so familiar today dates from 1934 and is really a mixture of chance and speed, with a little bit of skill thrown in for good measure. US players use pre-printed cards, structured as a 5 x 5 matrix (25 squares), which are printed on either card or paper.

Although there are a number of different versions of bingo currently played in the US, all share the same principals, in that 75 balls are available to be drawn, numbers are matched and marked off, and that the winner matching all numbers calls out 'Bingo!'. At this stage, an adjudicator confirms that the win is genuine and that the prize has been correctly won.

Online US bingo follows these same principals, although there are some variations.

Online Gaming: Bingo in the USA

Most cards in the US are disposable, with 'double action' cards being a popular alternative, where each available space comprises two numbers. Some spaces are automatically marked as 'filled', including 'free spaces'.

Since bingo has become such a popular game in the United States, it has given rise to a multitude of similar games, many of which are loosely based around its principals and often somewhat obscure in their nature. These include:

• Bingo America - an American game show on GSN, where two contestants compete for prize money of $100,000
• Bonanza Bingo - a progressive game with sealed cards, where 43 numbers are drawn at the start
• Bovine Bingo - a lottery style version, where a gridwork of numbers is marked on the floor. Numbers are selected when urinated or defecated on by released animals, such as cows
• Buzzword Bingo - when key words and phrases are matched rather than numbers. A favourite for meetings and speeches
• Christmas Bingo - where players bring a total of three presents, which are given as prizes each time a number is matched
• Electronic Bingo - utilizing state-of-the-art technology to present a slot machine version, popular in casinos at Las Vegas and Atlantic City
• Horse Racing Bingo - with up to 15 players, matching numbers along the first row of a flashboard
• Lingo - a famous game show on American television between 1987 and 1988, recently revived from 2002 to 2007
• Online Bingo - a popular web-based game on the Internet
• Quick Shot Bingo - with pre-drawn numbers and sealed cards
• Road Kill Bingo - a favourite of long-distance drivers, where a card of 24 animals are matched against dead animals spotted on the road during the journey
• Slingo - an online game incorporating a mixture of bingo and slots, where 'jokers' are considered 'wild'
• Table Bingo - appearing more like a casino game, often played with chips
• U-Pick'Em Bingo - where players first select their own numbers, similar to Keno