Bingo originated in the Caribbean as a card game. In the early Spanish colonies, it was a favorite pastime of the lower class that often led to more complicated gambling games such as jousting and hunting. It gained popularity in Europe during the middle ages and then caught on as a quick way to win money. In the US, Bingo was a simple game of luck where each participant matched numbers printed on matching cards with those being called out by the game master, usually from a hat. The winner of Bingo did not have to pay any money but had to leave an amount equal to the number of opponents rolled up on the bingo cards.
There are many ways to play bingo but the most popular version is played in a bingo hall. The players would purchase tickets or pay entry fees to the bingo hall and then stand or sit in the front. The players could then choose cards or place bets depending on the rules of the game. The players could also request for additional cards or coins from the winners of previous rounds or request a special boon from the game master. The game play is usually performed through a paper card called a Bingo sheet. This list of words or phrases that are used as words in the game is called a Bingo card.
The most common version of the Bingo game is the “Texas Holdem” version in which players compete through a single bingo game playing station, called the “Bingo Hall”. There are various versions of the Bingo game wherein players place their bids by writing specific letters on blank Bingo cards. When all the bingo bids have been made, the players would sign out the bingo game and then fold their cards to signal the end of the game. In most casinos and in some homes, a Bingo envelope or cover is used to seal the winning cards. A Bingo envelope contains a sealed adhesive strip that when peeled allows the player to see the numbers written on the bingo card. Most of the time, these cards have letters or numbers printed against them, so that the player will be able to recognize what numbers were called out during the bingo game.
One type of Bingo game is known as the “pull tab” version in which players place their bets by pulling random numbers from a hat or by picking numbers out from a deck of cards before the game begins. The winner of the pull-tab game will get to keep all the winnings. However, these kind of Bingo games require that the player pays for the pre-determined number combinations beforehand. Pull tab tickets are sold in various locations and online. Most people enjoy playing this type of Bingo games because the prices offered for these tickets are relatively lower than the prices charged for the more popular live bingo halls.
One version of Bingo which is popular among players is the “coverall jackpot” version in which players purchase tickets which can cover the entire amount of money the caller wishes to claim. Once the caller places their bid, they will not be allowed to remove any of their already placed bids until the amount of money being claimed by the caller has been reached. Once the caller reaches the amount of money that is covered by the coverall jackpot, the winning bid of the caller will be converted into cash and the winning number will be printed on the bingo card. However, before placing their bid, the players must agree upon how much the jackpot should be won and the names of those involved in the said game. This particular version of Bingo involves some complicated mathematics.
Another version of Bingo, which is widely played is the speed Bingo. Like the regular Bingo game, speed bingo is played with a wheel and is usually played indoors. The rules of speed Bingo differ from state to state but the basic rules of how the game is played remain the same.
