Whether you’re an online bingo player, or you’re just a fan of playing the occasional bingo game with friends and family, you’ll know that it’s one of the most enjoyable and entertaining games out there.
The growth of online bingo games has made it much more accessible, and many people now play online bingo at home and on their commutes to and from work. Given its straightforward rules and entertaining gameplay, bingo is a natural fit for both desktop and mobile platforms.
It’s this fun factor and the simplicity of bingo that has also made it a perfect form of charity fundraising. It’s been an excellent tool to raise money for hundreds of years and has a long history of being used in this way by churches and other charitable organizations.
Take a look at why bingo is the perfect charity fundraising game, as well as a few tips for you to hold your own bingo fundraiser.
It’s Easy To Play
There’s no doubt that bingo is one of the easiest games to play. Whether you play bingo online or you head down to the local bingo hall, it’s something that everyone can understand and easily get to grips with. All people have to do is have their card and their daubers at the ready, listen out for the number being called, and then mark it down on their card. If they form a vertical or horizontal line, complete a pattern, or fill the card, then they shout “BINGO!” and win.
It really is a straightforward game, and its simplicity makes it the perfect choice for a diverse group of participants.
It’s Inexpensive
There’s not much cost involved when setting the game up, which means that tickets can be relatively cheap, too. The last thing you want to do is price people out of a charity event, and the low cost involved in a bingo game night allows people to pay an affordable price to take part.
When looking at costs in general, the venue and sound system will be the priciest parts of the event, but many charity organizations will be given these for free or at a discounted price. All you have to worry about is printing a bunch of cards and supplying players with pens/daubers to mark off their numbers.
It Can Host a Lot of Players
Ultimately, you want to make as much money during a charity fundraiser as possible, and having more players will bump up the bankroll nicely. The great thing about bingo is that there isn’t really a limit on the number of people that can take part in one game.
The number of people at a bingo event is usually decided by the capacity a venue can hold or the number of tickets on sale.
In fact, the largest in-person bingo event took place in 2006 in Colombia, with 70,080 participants. An online bingo fundraiser can obviously take even more players. For example, in 2010 Coca Cola organized the biggest online bingo event in Japan, hosting a whopping 493,824 people.
Something People of All Ages Enjoy
The great thing about this game is that it spans the age groups, too. Of course, bingo was hugely popular after WWII, and many bingo halls and events flourished for decades after this. Then along came the online version, and suddenly, younger people also wanted to get involved and now play bingo online. Bingo doesn’t only resonate with one generation but is appealing to many different people.
Offers an Opportunity To Sell Food and Beverages
A bingo game can be thirsty and hungry work and most people attending a charity bingo game will work up some sort of an appetite. This is an opportunity to sell food and drink to participants, and offers another way of making more money for the charity of choice.
Tips for Hosting Your Own Bingo Night for Charity
As you can see, there are many reasons why bingo and fundraising go hand-in-hand. If you’re thinking of hosting bingo events for charity, here are some handy tips and bingo fundraiser ideas.
Choose Your Charity
Of course, the most important aspect of this whole experience is the charity that you will be donating your proceeds to. It’s always important to choose a charity that is close to your heart, whether that’s an animal shelter, a charity for homelessness, or an old-age home.
Discuss your idea with the charity you have chosen to check if they have any requirements or want to be involved on the day.
Set a Budget
Of course, it’s always astute to set a budget beforehand, as you have to cover your costs.
First things first, you need to write a list of all the things that you need to hold a successful event, like a loudspeaker, cards, daubers, food, drinks, and a venue. This will help you to decide on the ticket price — it will need to cover costs and still make a profit.
Find a Venue
Your venue can make or break your event, so it’s important to get this one right. Try to find a venue that is a good size for the number of players you’re expecting and ensure that they are happy to handle the event. For this reason, one of the easiest ways for you to find a big enough venue to handle the capacity you’re expecting is to choose a bingo hall. A local town hall is also always a good idea, but you could even choose to host it at a pub, or your own home if it’s a small event.
Choose the Type of Bingo
Bingo comes in many different forms, and it’s important to choose the bingo that you want to play before the event. The most popular types of bingo are 75-ball and 95-ball bingo, but you could also play fun, themed bingo games such as music bingo.
Choose the Prizes
Prizes for your charity bingo night don’t have to be lavish, but the better the prizes, the more people you’ll attract. It’s always a good idea to approach local businesses for prizes, whether that’s hamper baskets, vouchers for restaurants, nights in a hotel, and so on. You’d be surprised at the number of businesses happy to help the local community.
Hire a Caller and Event Workers
Once you have finalized the date and location for your bingo fundraiser, you’ll need to have enough people there to help out and make sure the night goes off without a hitch. Depending on your budget, the people that work your event can either be paid staff, or you can find volunteers. The venue you selected may even have employees that can fill some of the roles.
Make a list of all the jobs that will need to be completed and the number of people you will need to get all of them done. Consider all aspects of your bingo night, including the set-up, check-in, clean-up teams, game assistants, and the caller. Your caller doesn’t necessarily need to be experienced; they just need to be able to speak clearly and loudly in front of an audience.
Organizing Supplies and Equipment for Your Charity Bingo Night
Planning ahead is a key point in hosting a successful bingo night. You will need to make a list of all of the supplies, equipment, decorations, and other items you will need for your bingo night. Once you have established everything you need, you can then make a plan to purchase, rent, or borrow them. Some of the basic items you will need for a bingo fundraiser include a microphone and sound system, a dry-erase board to display numbers after they have been called, and several tables and chairs. Be sure to ask the venue if they can help with any of those items as well.
For the actual game, you’ll need a bingo cage (or tumbler) and number balls, which can usually be rented from a party supply store. You will also need chips, markers, or daubers that guests can use to mark their cards and, of course, the cards themselves.
Promote Your Event
Of course, you’ve got to get word of your event out there, and luckily there are plenty of ways to do this. Take to your own social media pages to promote your event in your own circles, or take out an affordable ad. Put up flyers around the area and get an ad in your local newspaper.
Clarify Your House Rules
As straightforward as bingo is, having a set of house rules is always best to ensure fair gameplay at your bingo night fundraiser. Some of the points you can include in your house rules include:
- Clarify what will constitute a “bingo” — all four corners marked off, five numbers in a row, or should the entire card be covered?
- Will there be different ways to win, or will every round follow the same rules?
- Can the games have multiple winners, or should players clear their cards after every win? You could follow the popular practice of offering small prizes to players with five numbers in a row, and allowing the game to continue until someone fills their card and wins the game (and a large prize.)
Have Fun
It’s essential to keep in mind that although this is about making money for charity, there’s no point in hosting a bingo event if it’s not enjoyable. So take time on the day to stop stressing, and rather talk to your guests and have some fun.
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