Bingo in NYC
As a game whose history can be traced back to 1500s Italy, bingo is often considered an old person’s game. However, in reality, seniors aren’t the only ones who are very much in love with this internationally popular game. In fact, a lot of individuals and institutions right here in New York City are bringing new life and style to bingo. Since more people are staying home due to the pandemic, people are finding new ways to enjoy their hobby.
New York City and Bingo
The link between the bustling city of New York and bingo goes all the way back to the early 1900s. Before toy salesman, Edwin S. Lowe popularized the version of bingo most Americans play nowadays, he first brought the game concept back to New York and introduced it to his friends. It is said that it was during one of those game nights when the carnival game Lowe found took on a new name and changed from “beano” to “bingo.”
After seeing the potential of bingo as a fun and interactive social game, Lowe then hired a Columbia University math professor, Carl Leffler, who helped him increase the number of combinations in bingo cards. By 1930, Lowe and Leffler successfully developed 6,000 different bingo cards with fewer non-repeating number groups.
This technique successfully reduced the likelihood of two or more players getting bingo at the same time. Available in two versions, the Lowe-produced bingo game utilized bingo cards that boasted a 5x5 number layout for a 75-ball game. To this day, Lowe’s 75-ball bingo, born here in NYC, is still the US standard for this well-loved game across age groups.
Even as the times and bingo itself are changing, NYC’s storied love affair with bingo continues to thrive. Today there are many different versions of bingo with online gaming platforms combining it with other casino games to create entirely new varieties that help the game find new audiences. The Slingo games on Foxy Games demonstrates how bingo has been combined with slots, with the online titles also retaining a strong link to New York. Many Slingo titles pay homage to NYC, with the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Slingo game adds a dose of nostalgia as it features the city skyline, Central Park, and well-loved characters like Rachel and Monica. Even in its latest forms the Big Apple continues to play a crucial role in the never-ending evolution of bingo.
Playing Bingo in the city that never sleeps
Despite the steady rise of online bingo sites, there are still brick-and-mortar bingo halls you can visit in NYC. For instance, there’s the Fifth Avenue Bingo Hall. Situated at the heart of Brooklyn, Fifth Avenue Bingo Hall has long been a meeting place for avid players of the game. It is known for its fast-paced and intense bingo games that are enjoyed by both veterans and young hipsters craving for one of Brooklyn’s last authentic sub-cultures.
Aside from Fifth Avenue Bingo Hall, NYC tourists and residents can also drop by Top Bingo Hall for some bingo fun. Top Bingo Hall sits on the border between Queens Village and Long Island, and has been hosting game nights for over 45 years now. Due to the immense popularity of bingo, plenty of other NYC establishments have also started offering weekly bingo nights. There’s the Standard Grill, which made bingo the central attraction in an all-out party every Sunday for its patrons.
Places like Gigawatt Garden and The Stonewall Inn have also been holding upgraded bingo nights. While Gigawatt Garden hosts drag bingo every Tuesday, The Stonewall Inn does the same every Monday. Last month, fantasy-inspired bar, restaurant, and event space The Cauldron also started hosting drag bingo. The Cauldron’s drag bingo was initiated in support of the #FreeBritney movement and hosted by the business’ reigning drag queen, Holly Box-Springs.
