Playing bingo is a favorite pastime of many individuals across the nation and each year, more individuals are introduced to the enjoyment of playing a bingo game.  There are many different types of bingo games available, including ones for children, ones for special occasions, and ones that deal with particular topics.  The instructions play bingo are basically the same no matter which type of bingo game you are playing.

There are three things that are needed to play a bingo game: a bingo card, a way to mark the card, and a way to randomly call out the numbers on the card.  The bingo card typically has the letters in the word bingo (B-I-N-G-O) at the tops of the columns and one of a specific set of numbers located below the letters.  The object of the game is to mark out the numbers in a specific pattern on the face of the bingo card and the first person to create the pattern, typically a line, an X, or a square, on the bingo card wins the game.

One person is the caller and randomly selects the numbers that are used in the game.  In professional games, the numbers are usually inked on identical balls and the balls are selected one by one with the letter on the ball being called first and the number on the ball following it.  As the letters and numbers are called, the players mark out the appropriate sections on their own bingo cards to create the winning pattern.