Prize Bingo

Prize Bingo is a game derived from standard Bingo games which is particularly popular in UK seaside resorts. Rather than winning cash prizes as per normal bingo, Prize Bingo instead offers points to the winner of each game which can be redeemed in a dedicated shop near to or within the Prize Bingo area although some games reward players with free games or tokens.

Prize Bingo is usually found in UK amusement arcades, particularly in seaside resorts such as Blackpool. Essentially, a prize bingo installation is a set of linked slot machines.

Early forms of prize bingo had a 'ball machine' - this mixed up colour-coded balls with each number on and the machine would release numbers when a button was pressed, these would be announced by the caller and put aside, being returned to the 'pool' when the game had finished, usually via some kind of mechanical device. However, in the last few decades, these installations (if they are still open) have been converted to electronic operation, with most systems now being controlled by some kind of computer. This has many benefits over traditional methods, including less electromechanical equipment to service, and more importantly, the opportunity for faster games, with the winner being automatically verified by computer, rather than having to shout their numbers out for the caller to check. This article is mainly concerned with the modern electronic systems.

The game is usually played via dedicated consoles connected to a central console where the Caller sits. Players can join a game by inserting coins into the slot on their console. Every console has a different order of numbers. Numbers are generated at random and The Caller reads them out. Most UK Prize Bingo installations have 75 numbers spread out across three different cards. The standard stake (usually 20p) enables two cards to be played while an extra 10p enables the third (usually gold) card to be played as well, increasing the chance of winning. If a player has activated all three cards, they have every number on one of the cards.

The aim varies depending on the individual establishment and the caller. Often, the aim is to cross off five numbers in a line on the same card diagonally, horizontally or vertically OR to cross off the four corner squares on the same card. Some games may be a certain type of line only or no corner squares. Bonus games are also played sometimes where if you create a line in a certain position, you win a special prize. If there are not many players then the caller may decide to play a full-house game instead of a line. This takes longer and thus means less payout for the operator. Often, these settings are designed to be 'foolproof' so the prize amount, bonuses and game types are automatically selected by the computer (which can be configured by the arcade managers for optimum financial gain) depending on the number of players and how many credits remain on the player's machines. The caller usually just has to literally call the numbers and press a button to advance the numbers.

...
Wikipedia