No longer confined to the familiar blue and yellow of high street Gala clubs, Bingo has broken free, with events now happening in pubs, clubs and even homes up and down the country.With a lexicon all of its own and a range of prizes to be won, throwing your own bingo night can provide a unique party that friends will relish attending.
The success of such a night rarely revolves around the game itself, but rather, the accessories, whether that’s bingo inspired cocktails and nibbles, bespoke bingo cards, or even a surprise prize! To cover all of that and so much more, here are our top tips for hosting a bingo night at home.
Bingo Boom Box
Sure, you’re going to need to hear those bingo calls, but can a party even be called a party without some great tunes? Unsurprisingly for such a popular pastime, there are several songs which mention bingo, including Basement Jaxx’s ‘Bingo Bango’, Cleopatra’s ‘Bingo My Love’ and ‘Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo’ by Jens Lekman. Have them playing early to get guests in the mood.
Some bingo night hosts even choose to base their whole party around music, replacing their traditional bingo calls with songs that have numbers in the title. For number one, ‘One’ by U2 could play. For two, ‘Two Hound Dogs’ by Bill Haley & His Comets, for three, ‘Three Times A Lady’ by Lionel Richie, and so on. Although you may struggle to find songs with the number 57 in the title, for instance, writing your own bingo calls based on songs could be a game in itself, and all part of the fun before the bingo commences!
Customised bingo cards can add another layer of fun to proceedings, making the party feel more personal and fun than a night at the local bingo hall.
*Actually, we’ve thought of one; 57th Channels (And Nothin’ On) by Bruce Springsteen.*
Get Your Bingo Caller Voice Ready
If you’re planning to host the bingo calling yourself, now’s the time to practice your best bingo caller persona! The traditional bingo caller voice is part of the charm – think theatrical, slightly exaggerated, and always entertaining. Practice classic calls like “Two fat ladies, 88!” or “Legs eleven!” with gusto. You might even want to create a special caller’s outfit – perhaps a bow tie, waistcoat, or even a sparkly jacket to really get into character.
Don’t forget to have a good microphone or speaker system ready so everyone can hear your calls clearly over the excited chatter and laughter. And remember, part of being a great bingo caller is keeping the energy up between numbers with a bit of banter and jokes. If public speaking isn’t your forte, or you’d rather join in the fun as a player, there’s always another option…
Outsource The Hosting Of The Bingo Game
If you’d rather participate in the bingo game itself, rather than manage it like an overworked supply teacher, then consider outsourcing the bingo game itself to an online bingo room.
You should first check if the operators you’re considering using for your bingo party are licensed and regulated. A solid licensing body such as the UK GC or MGA is a useful way of identifying that a site is trustworthy.
Alternatively, you should prioritise bingo apps that are on the official Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. Both represent reliable sources, as the applications are vetted first by the tech giants.
Dunk & Dip Food
Seeing as guests will need a hand free to mark those crosses on your bingo grid, your party menu should be all about finger food.
Why not take inspiration from the many foods you’ll find within the 90 different bingo calls when deciding on a menu for your party? ‘Duck’ has a major prevalence, with ‘one little duck’ (number 2), ‘two little ducks’ (22) and ‘duck and dive’ (25) all making an appearance. With ‘baker’s bun’ (61) also in the roll call of bingo terminology, you could serve Taiwanese duck bao buns. Check out a great recipe from Paul Hollywood of the Great British Bake Off for those here.
Hey, or if you’re feeling really mischievous (and lazy), you could theme the food around number 57; ‘Heinz Varieties’. So, that’s Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, Heinz Spaghetti Hoops, and, of course, Heinz Baked Beans. Sounds delicious!
Alternatively, if those links are a little tenuous and you’re instead seeking deliciousness, we’ve taken inspiration from one of our favourite London bingo halls, Dabbers Bingo, and their iconic ‘Big Dipper’.
Billed as ‘the ultimate sharing showpiece’ and inspired by the ‘iconic cheese and pineapple hedgehog of the 70s and 80s’, this retro sharing plate brings all the players together! First, a pineapple is hollowed out and filled with gooey camembert, and is served with a skewer of pineapple, chorizo, figs, grapes, olives, sundried tomato, cured ham and crusty bread. Head over to their place in Shoreditch to try the real deal.
Finally, why not serve your very own ‘Bingo Wings’? The options are endless when it comes to wing sauce recipes. You can go classic buffalo, honey glazed, General Tso’s or KFC style. Check out our guide to making homemade KFC style chicken for more on that!
Bingo Cocktails
What better drink to serve at a bingo party than the aptly named ‘Bingo’ cocktail? Offering a refreshing, piquant flavour, it’s the perfect aperitif to the fun, ideal for perking players up before the games begin.
You’ll need:
- 25 ml vodka
- 25 ml apricot brandy
- 25 ml orange liqueur
- 12.5 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- A dash of soda water
Simply shake the named ingredients together with ice, then strain into an ice filled Collins glass. Top with soda water and enjoy!
We also love to serve The Gringo at our bingo parties, mainly because the words kind of rhyme. Simply shake 35 ml of white tequila with 25 ml of grapefruit juice and 10 ml of elderflower liqueur, along with ice. Strain over a salt-rimmed tumbler filled with ice and top with pale ale. Garnish with a twirl of grapefruit peel and voila!
Alternatively, why not set a challenge for your guests to come up with the best cocktail using the letters B, I, N, G and O? Ours involves Bacardi, ice, Newcastle Brown Ale, gin and orange juice. Anyone fancy trying it? Anyone…..?
Of course, you should also create mocktail versions of these cocktails for those wanting to keep a level head during the game. Alternatively, you could simply serve cups of tea (number 3!).
Read: 9 cocktails that are super easy to make at home
The Prize
Hosting your very own bingo night needn’t revolve around playing for money. Instead, why not collect a few coins from everyone for a prize kitty, with winners receiving experiences instead of cold, hard cash. You could book a discounted spa day on Wowcher, arrange tickets to a football match, or do away with the exchange of money entirely and instead have guests offer up I.O.Us into the prize fund.
Alternatively, the winner could donate the prize money to the charity of their choice. UNICEF have a great guide to fundraising bingo here for more inspiration on that.
