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Having Fun with Bingo Variants & Games
Bingo is one of the oldest games around, and it continues to flourish not just because it is fun and easy to use, but also due to its flexibility. If you get tired of the usual game, you can easily modify and change the rules to liven things up.
Most people think that there's only one way to play the game, that is, with the 75 number, 5 x 5 cards. In fact that is only one Bingo variant. For a change you and your friends can try the European game. Here you use a 9 x 3 card, and make use of 90 numbers.
What makes this Bingo variant interesting is that you play the game in stages. The usual limit is three (you cover one line in stage one, two lines in stage two and blackout the whole card in the final level), but you can modify this. If you are organizing or preparing the game, you may add more levels, and change the patterns that need to be marked to win a stage. You can also divide the prizes for each level.
Another Bingo variant has players competing for a progressive jackpot spread over several sessions. For example, the initial jackpot is $5,000. To make the game more interesting, players are handed out only a limited number of cards. The patterns used are more difficult to create. If no one wins, the cash prize is increased.
In combination Bingo games, players are only allowed to use one or two cards throughout the session, and the player that is able to attain the most number of wins takes the overall prize.
Aside from the change in the rules, you can also make changes to the Bingo cards themselves. For example, you can replace the numbers in the cards with pictures. These cards are easy enough to make; just use any photo editing software, and use your own artwork or scanned images and print them out. Even kids can play this game.
A lot of online sites have also been coming out with variations of their own. Simply log on to the Net, and it's certain you will find several games that have put twists to the original Bingo game.
The more you play, the more Bingo variants you will come up with, so the game doesn't have to get old. So make up your own variants or use these as a template, and have fun with your friends and colleagues. As a party host or charity event organizer, these innovations will have people coming in droves.