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Anyone who has ever visited a bingo hall knows the importance of the Bingo Caller. The Bingo Caller is like the MC of the bingo game. But the duties of the bingo caller go much deeper than choosing and announcing bingo balls. There are certain qualities every bingo call must have, and these talents and skills and responsibilities are not to be taken lightly.

The Mystique of the Bingo Caller

Bingo Callers have a certain je-ne-sais-quoi. Although their role is “simply” to collect bingo balls and call them out so that people can daub the respective numbers on their bingo cards, their personalities always shine through the calls, whether they’re proclaiming a good old “B12″ or revealing the ball “N32″, you can tell straight away if they have a sense of humor, confidence, and sometimes you can even tell whether they’re having a good or bad day.

Power and Glory of Bingo

Bingo players have always had a love-hate relationship with their bingo caller. There are delicate trust issues, but mostly a kind of reverence for this person who ultimately decides which spots you may daub and whose bingo cards will fill up the fastest. The hardiest of bingo players have often shown outward signs of disrespect toward the bingo caller, but don’t believe what you hear or see. There is no love lost between the bingo player and the bingo caller, because after all, the bingo caller is one of the most powerful figures in the game of bingo, and if he plays his … * ahem * … cards right, the bingo caller can and will win the affections and respect of any bingo hall congregation. The following sections will illustrate how this is done, as well as shed some light on the sometimes stressful but always glamorous role of the bingo caller.

Bingo Calling:  A Lifestyle,  Not a Game

To bingo callers, bingo is not just a game. It’s a way of life, and it requires talent and skill. The art of bingo calling is can be very specific and challenging – it is a craft, after all, and requires a dedicated and talented person. So what types of qualities and skills does a prospective bingo caller need? Read on.

Don’t Rush.

Bingo is a fast-paced game, yes. But bingo calling doesn’t have to be. Take your time calling each number, don’t forget that most bingo rooms will only consider a bingo to be legitimate once the caller has called it out loud, not once shown on the screen. This is not to say you should call in slow motion, but take your cues from your audience, see how quickly they raise their heads and look expectantly for the next number. Just remember: going too fast will cause some verbal stumbling and errors – and nobody wants that.

Winning Trust

Believe it or not, there can sometimes be some trust issues involved when playing bingo – especially those bingo games that are worth a lot of money. Those high-stakes games and big jackpots can have people very much on edge, so winning your audience’s trust is key. For example, in the case that consecutive numbers come up, give a slight shake of your head and cluck your tongue – giving a little barely-audible tsk tsk. That way, you’ll be leaving your bingo players, like you, blaming luck or faulty equipment.

Is Using Nicknames A Bad Idea?

Oftentimes, bingo callers will use nicknames, or codenames, for bingo balls. We’ve all heard them before – B1, Kelly’s eye. 88, two fat ladies. Many bingo callers will find themselves wondering, are these names outdated? Is it better to be straight forward and clear, or fun and joking? It’s safe to say that it depends on your personal preference. Mandy Gorgan, UK’s first female to receive the Bingo Caller of the Year award, said this: “Bingo is big business these days and it’s important the audience can concentrate on your voice.” Mandy does not go in for “legs 11″ or any other bingo lingo. “You can’t mess around with silly lingo, not when there are such large sums of money at stake,” Mandy added.

Mark Wilson, assistant manager of the Beacon Bingo Club, feels that “people have still got this stereotype of people using ‘two fat ladies, 88′, but that has gone out of fashion a long time ago. It’s very cheesy.”

I believe that it’s a judgment call though; using nicknames can often be a fun part of the game, and if done correctly will often raise a smile or chuckle from your bingo crowd. Be spontaneous. If you can improvise some rhymes or a few gleefully offbeat but appropriate nicknames, do it! And it’s definitely worth being knowledgeable on bingo ball nicknames, in case you do decide to use them.

Let the Audience Guide You

Finally, take your cues from your audience. Are they relaxed? Would they prefer a soft, soothing bingo-calling voice? Are they energetic, or anxious – do they require a strong, confident voice? Melodic, or monotonous? These are all the things a bingo caller must consider before choosing a bingo calling strategy. A good piece of advice would be to take a look at your audience and adapt your calling to fit each unique group of people; make a judgment call. But the final word in this matter is always a personal preference. Do what you feel most comfortable with, and the less artificial and uncomfortable you sound, the more respect you will command and the more enjoyment you will create.

Whenever we think of bingo players, one image comes to mind. It might be our grandmothers and grandfathers in rocking chairs and canes socializing with people their age group while playing bingo games in a hot, stuffy and smoky bingo hall.Thankfully online bingo is gaining popularity which smashes the image of typical bingo players we think of. Through the power of the internet, many people are now being reached by online games within the comfort of their own homes.

Back then, bingo socials are held in bingo halls, churches for fund raising functions and charities. Now, majority of bingo addicts can play online bingo.

So who plays online bingo? Definitely not your grandma.  Imagine, a 90 year old woman trying to get in a website and download the software needed to play bingo.  It’s a cute thought but it’s not happening.

Majority of online bingo players are still women, but much younger than your grandmother and undeniably more computer-savvy.

The online bingo community is bursting with people who want to play the online bingo game but at the same time feel the need to be connected with other bingo game enthusiasts. Online gaming sites offer the use of chat tools to enable players to interact with each other, simulating the real personal interaction that happens in a real bingo hall.

These people can even take their online relationship to the next level. Some women exchange phone numbers and even chat or hang out offline. Their bond is brought about by playing online bingo but is strengthened by their similarities and common interests outside the game.

Some online bingo players even organize a get together or socializing party in order to meet their new found cyber space friend in person. Online bingo communities and clubs also enable you to get to know other bingo players from all over the world. You get exposed to their culture and background. Bingo buddies are usually women who share recipes, fashion advice and even how to raise their children.

Now, we have hundreds of gaming sites offering online bingo games. Of course, the more popular ones are the free sites which account for 45% of all the bingo sites.

In terms of the players, 90% of all online bingo players come from North America. And 80% of these online players are women. The average age of bingo players for both men and women is 41, while players’ ages range from 25 to 55. Contrary to popular belief, only a small percentage accounts for the players aged 65 and above.

The ease of use of online bingo game sites is what attracts the online users to the game. There is an auto play function which enables the computer to fill out the called bingo balls without user intervention. You can do this while cooking or cleaning the house. That is the reason why many housewives are addicted to the online bingo game.

Some online bingo sites tried to take down the chat function because it consumes so much bandwidth, when they did, the traffic decreased drastically.  Chatting is also an important advantage when playing bingo online.

Bingo is a game of luck. It does not matter if bingo players are playing online land-based bingo, bingo is the one game where the outcome cannot be controlled or predicted.

There is a lot new players can learn from experienced and accomplished bingo players. Skilled players can advise new players to keep certain bingo tips in mind when they are playing.

Bingo players should always make sure they arrive early at the bingo hall. Arriving early ensures that they can get the best seat, or their favorite seat. They can also ensure that they sit in the smoking or non-smoking area, whichever they prefer.

To better their chances at winning, bingo players should play at halls when there are less bingo players present. The perfect time would be between Monday and Thursday nights, as more prefer to play over the weekend. Why does this better their chances of winning? Because the less players there are, the better the chances of winning. This also means that the more cards they play, the greater their chances is to win.

Although “play all you want” offers are great, bingo players should be careful. They should never play more bingo cards than they can comfortably watch at a time.

It is important to remember that what goes around comes around. Bingo players should make sure they buy at least one bingo card per night for their neighbour. If they then find themselves without enough money to play one more game, chances are that their neighbours will buy them one more card.

When bingo players win, they should make sure they throw a lucky dollar or two for their neighbours to catch. Generally, their neighbours will return the favour when they win. Players can also receive ten times more than the lucky dollar they gave their neighbours. If a neighbour bingo’s with that lucky dollar, the neighbour is sure to share the prize!

Bingo players should always keep their neighbours in mind. They should never yell out loud the number they need, because their neighbours are trying to hear which numbers are being called. Another important aspect that bingo players should keep in mind is that their neighbours are at the hall for entertainment. They don’t want other people to complain to them all the time.

Playing bingo can be lots of fun and a great social event if players keep these tips in mind. Players should remember the greatest tip of all – they should never stop playing bingo, because it means that they can play a game they love while they win money and meet great people!

So what do retired people in Indiana do? They play bingo in Indiana bingo halls, of course!

Bingo is a popular game all around the world. Although online bingo is becoming more and more popular, many people still prefer to play in traditional bingo halls.

Whereas online bingo has a younger audience, bingo in halls is usually associated with older players, which is true most of the time.

So what do retired people in Indiana do? They play bingo in Indiana bingo halls, of course!

When retiring, it’s often difficult to adapt to a quieter life. Some people move away from their old neighbourhoods and all their old friends. How do they meet new people? What do they do with their time?

Indiana bingo halls offer great opportunities to retired people. By visiting some of the halls, players get to meet other players and make new friends. Indiana bingo halls are often the hub of social activity. Most of the regular players know each other well. By joining a club, players can ensure they meet lots of new friends with the same interests they have.

Indiana bingo halls also offer a great opportunity to make some money. Everyone loves winning and it’s always great to get a chance to shout bingo! At Indiana bingo halls players don’t always play for money. Sometimes they play for other exciting prizes like television sets, cars and home appliances.

If players like some healthy competition, Indiana bingo halls are definitely for them. These halls often offer bingo tournaments and other fun competitions.

Playing at Indiana bingo halls is also a great way to donate money for charities. The 2004 Indiana Department of Revenue Charity Gaming Report showed that charities earned more money from bingo in 2004 than they had during any other previous year.

Choosing one of the Indiana bingo halls might prove to be difficult. Not because of a scarcity of Indiana bingo halls – there are more than 20 listed – but because there are so many to pick from. All players have to do is page through the yellow pages to find some really interesting places where they can play.

Names always play an important role, and the same goes for the names of some Indiana bingo halls. Some of the Indiana bingo halls have names such as “Plaza Bingo”, “Slam Dunk Bingo”, “Fire Dragon Bingo” or “Fabulous 105” with promises of great fun.

The best way to choose one of the Indiana bingo halls is to visit some of them. It is always important that players play at Indiana bingo halls where they feel welcome and comfortable, like the atmosphere and most of all, can relate to the other participants.

With so many bingo halls to pick from, it’s really easy to meet new people and win lots of money!