A guide to rave bingo and how to organise your own event

You might be thinking that bingo is the preserve of the over 60s and that having a silver perm and a comfy cardigan is a prerequisite for playing. But you’d be wrong. In recent years, bingo has undergone a transformation from something uncool to something played by people from all walks of life and every generation (over the age of 18). Bingo has moved into the online world, is popular at hen nights, and is often used as a way to raise money for charity. But this latest development in the bingo world is something altogether different.

Welcome rave bingo.

What is rave bingo?

In short, rave bingo is where a group of people get together, play bingo, and rave. Electronic dance music plays while the games commence and there are regular intervals between rounds where rave-offs take place. Currently, rave bingo events have been put on in around 50 locations around globally, drawing crowds of ravers and bingo lovers together in one place. Of course, there are usually plenty of cocktails and beers doing the rounds during these events, injecting fun and energy into the game.

How did it start?

The idea to start rave bingo came from a combined love of music, dancing, fun, and bingo. It was also a solution to disappointment from people when they didn’t win. How could you be sad when there are music and drinks to enjoy at the same time? By combining the social aspect of clubbing, the fun of dancing and raving, and bingo into one event, everyone is happy.

Since the launch of the first rave bingo some years ago, the concept has become more and more popular with events popping up all around the world. From Manchester and other UK cities, all the way to Australia, rave bingo is becoming a big hit.

How can I organize a rave bingo night?

If you want to attend a rave bingo night but there are no events near you, don’t worry, you can always do it yourself! There are several ways that you can go about it.

For an in-person event, you will need a location, a DJ, and a bingo caller. A location such as a nightclub or a bar is perfect for the event, but you need to consider how many people will attend. Too small and it could be crowded, too big and it could look empty. Then you need to think about what kind of EDM you will play- rave music/dubstep/electro – in our view, the more upbeat the better. You want to keep people motivated and active so something fast and cheerful is a surefire winner. You also need to find someone to do the bingo calling. They should have experience in bingo calling but should also be tuned in with your target audience. Someone young that can get the crowds going both during the rounds and the dance intervals is a good choice.

But you can even organize an online bingo rave event. Using video calling software, you can set up a room and invite your bingo ravers to participate. If you’d like to play online bingo, participants can all visit an online bingo site, even enter the same room, share their screens, and join in the fun with music provided by you.

Alternatively, you could set up bingo cards via online forms, share your screen to ensure transparency over the numbers, and you can stream music to all of the participants. Furthermore, ravers can watch everyone else and interact with them, all from the comfort of their own home!

Rave bingo is not going anywhere soon, and thanks to technology there are various ways to get involved. Whether in person, or online, you can enjoy EDM, bingo, and dancing, all in one place.

Image Credit: Pixabay