I went to bingo for the first time in the UK. It was very different than a bingo experience in the US. Much faster and lively including people of all ages. I went to Gala Bingo with my boyfriend and his mom. She says "wanna go bingo"? Not "go TO bingo". It's "go bingo".
Anyway, there are two Gala Bingo halls in this town referred to as “top of town” and “bottom of town”. If you lose at the top of town in the afternoon, you go to the bottom of town for your evening game. At this point I don’t know if I’m coming or going much less top or bottom of town.
Once inside, people have their designated spots. Certain tables belong to them. No problem, I can relate but as a newbie how do I know if I’m stealing someone’s table? Ya don’t! You plop down, say three Hail Marys and hope for the best. These people are hard core. Since they have the same table each time they go, they know the people around them that also have the same table each time they go.
Bingo starts and I’m completely lost. The cards are different and the calls are fast. I mean really fast. There's no falling asleep during bingo here. Not so sure blue haired little old ladies would cut it. You gotta be able to move your a$$ to make it here. Meanwhile, there is a man sitting a few tables back. He was mumbling on and on and seemed to be chanting at times. By the end of the game he had engaged in a full conversation with himself. The tears were rolling down our faces from laughter.
So back to me and my confusion…. My sweetheart’s momma had to keep taking my card and catching me up on all the numbers I was missing. Right about now I’m feeling like a real dumbo. In 90 ball bingo you have ALL the numbers on your card. His mom kept saying follow the columns. Just follow the columns. Huh? I’m looking around and everyone is dabbing away. Finally, my boyfriend explains the way the cards are laid out. Sometimes I wonder about him. I really do. I mean c’mon that key info would’ve been useful before we started. The number sequences are numerical in each column. For example, column 1 = numbers 1-9 and column 2 = 10-19 and so on. It’s so different when you’re dabbing yourself. Online I don’t even pay attention to those details. All is well and now I’m a speed demon. I was managing two cards by the end of the night he he he.
No one yelled out BINGO! They yell something else. Um, sounds something like EEEORE! Some just say YEAH! or YEP!
There are a series of breaks between games. People play Gala Link Games. I didn’t play but from what I observed, you put money in a machine on your table. There are wooden boards with numbers on them in different colors. For example, the call would be 3 red. You cover 3 red. There’s little “sliding doors” in the board used to cover each number. Some chick with a tattooed neck won over £400 on that game. I better get in on that next time. On second thought, maybe it was the tattoo that brought her luck. I’m not doing that.
Now here’s something I found interesting. There are slot machines in the bingo hall. You’ll never find that in the US. I was amazed and once again confused. I played some slot I’ve never seen that looked like a Monopoly type game with hold buttons. I have no idea what I was doing. I do know this though, losing is the same no matter what country you're in.
I have much to learn so I am going back tonight. Free bingo on Monday and Thursday. Whoo hoo! Just need to decide whether it will be top or bottom of town. Ah, I’ll just leave that up to the momma.
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