How to get into playing bingo

Bingo is a popular game that can be played by people of all ages, genders and interests. The popular misconception of bingo only being played by older generations in run down bingo halls is being disproven by party/club events like Rebel Bingo, which are played in night clubs across the country. 

Not every game of bingo has to be a loud, neon coloured drinking occasion though. You can play bingo with your friends and family in local halls, or play online bingo on your PC, mobile or tablet. Here’s how you can get involved.

Try out bingo locally

Playing in bingo balls

As onlinge bingo has become more popular, you'd be right in assuming that bingo halls aren't as big as they once were. The number of bingo halls has dropped from nearly 600 across the country in 2005 to less than 400 in 2014. Whilst they may not be the most popular option anymore, there are still loads of local bingo options. But why go to a hall when you have online bingo in your pocket now?  

Well, for many people bingo is a social activity. It’s an opportunity to catch up with friends, spend time with their family or meet new people as you all play together and hope you might be one of the lucky winners of the day. 

Bingo is a welcoming, easy to play and understand activity for people of all abilities and age groups (18+ only). There's more to playing bingo than just winning money though, you can still play just to have fun.

Bingo halls also offer food & drink, have fully licensed bars and play music, so it’s a whole day or night out under one roof. As bingo games are usually ran throughout the day, you can enjoy your lunch/dinner and really make a day of it.

Bingo halls will generally offer other gambling activities for you to enjoy too like slot machines/fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs), making them feel like mini casinos. Some bingo halls advertise themselves as sports bars too, so pool tables and live sports games being shown is also a possibility.

If you’re looking at getting into bingo, a great first step would be to find out what bingo halls you have near you. You could get a group of friends together and try it out, or go along by yourself and meet some new people. 

Some bingo halls require membership, so it’s worth calling ahead or checking out your local club’s website and seeing what they offer.

Different halls will offer different supplementary activities and amenities, so trying them out and finding the best one for you will ensure you have a great time, every time.

Here are some bingo halls you might find near you:

Buzz Bingo: With over 120 Buzz Bingo clubs in the UK there's a good chance you've got one nearby. Buzz promises 'Brilliant bingo, friendly faces and a great night out' and offers food, drink and regular events. Check out where your local Buzz Bingo is.

Mecca Bingo: Mecca Bingo is a household name with more than 100 clubs strewn across the country. Players need not worry about bringing bingo daubers along, as Mecca Max is an electronic system where you can play bingo, try out slot games or order food and drinks from the comfort of your seat. See if there's a Mecca Bingo near you.

Beacon Bingo: There are 5 Beacon Bingo clubs in the UK offering live entertainment, student offers and drinks deals too. Find your nearest Beacon Bingo club

Finding bingo nights

There are regular bingo night events held in nightclubs, bars and event venues across the country. These will sometimes be uniquely themed and cater to different music tastes and different age group, but they all aim to do one thing: turn bingo into an all night party.

These nights are a great introduction to bingo as they offer exactly what you would expect from any other themed night out: drinks, music, dancing and lots of people.  Even if you have friends who are hesitant about trying bingo out, the other activities make this an exciting event for everyone.

As these bingo nights happen fairly regularly and move between venues around the country, you might find you have some interesting and enjoyable ones happening very soon right on your doorstep. If you search for ‘bingo nights near me’ on the internet you should be able to find a list of upcoming events.

You might even find that a local pub or bar does a weekly/monthly bingo night, which will means you can enjoy bingo in a relaxing, familiar environment. 

However you decide to try bingo, there are a tonne of options that cater for everyone, so why not try it out?

Try out online bingo

You don’t have to leave the house to enjoy a fun, social bingo experience. online bingo is the most popular way to play, with regular games, great prizes, alluring welcome bonuses and chat rooms. 

Online bingo sites benefit from being easy to navigate and use. They have multiple rooms to cater for different types of players, and don’t require you to daub your own numbers (though you can if you want). 

Playing bingo online is by far the easiest way to get into and enjoy bingo. Many sites let you play popular slots games whilst you wait for a game to start too.

You don’t need to be sat at your PC/Laptop to play online bingo either, there are so many sites that offer mobile bingo, which works seamlessly across mobile devices and tablets.

If you’re looking for the social aspect of playing bingo, then you’ll be glad to hear that a lot of the biggest bingo sites offer live chat too. You can make friends playing bingo from all around the country, and you don’t need to be at the bingo hall to speak to them.

If you’re just getting into online bingo for the first time, you’ll spoiled for choice. There are dozens of bingo websites in the UK each one offering a different experience.  

For example, MrQ has no wagering requirements on any of its bingo games and Rosy Bingo raises money for assisting people with disabilities in the UK. We have a selection of bingo categories featuring reviews of all the best bingo sites, so check them out.

If you’re looking for some easy entry points into playing online bingo, here are some sites that we recommend:

MrQ - The first bingo site to offer no wagering requirements on any deposit, meaning that all your winnings are yours to keep. The easy to navigate and use website is improving all the time. MrQ was recently awarded ‘Rising Star’ at the annual ‘Oscars of eGaming’, the EGR awards.

Buzz Bingo - With unique bingo games and no wagering requirements, Buzz Bingo took their popular high street chain of bingo halls online for the first time in 2018. The trust of a well-known brand, attractive website and great welcome offers make Buzz Bingo a great starting point for new bingo players.

No matter how you decide to introduce yourself to the world of bingo, we hope you enjoy the fun, social pastime with old friends, making new ones, or by playing in the comfort of your own home.