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Newcomers To The Bingo Hall Win On Their First Visit

OneWingedBird

OneWingedBird

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I heard this suggested at work today.

I don't know from sh*t about bingo so no idea how plausible it is, just I tend to assume it's as rigged as everything else.

The suggestion is that when a new person goes to a bingo hall it's set up so that they win on their first visit so that they will think it's good odds and are more likely to keep coming back to chase the next win... seems like one way of getting extra bodies in and ultimately the house always wins.

Anyone know of this happening?
 
OneWingedBird said:
I heard this suggested at work today.

I don't know from sh*t about bingo so no idea how plausible it is, just I tend to assume it's as rigged as everything else.

The suggestion is that when a new person goes to a bingo hall it's set up so that they win on their first visit so that they will think it's good odds and are more likely to keep coming back to chase the next win... seems like one way of getting extra bodies in and ultimately the house always wins.

Anyone know of this happening?
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I don't know how they would rig it.
 
Those seaside bingo places, where people sit at a console, they could probably be rigged. Although it'd be illegal and probably easier to prove than a game in a bingo hall.
 
Hmm. I've known a few bingo obsessives (including my late father and his girlfriend) and I've never heard of this happening. Honestly I don't think you'd have to rig it to get people coming back, it's like a big social club with gambling. Very appealing, especially to older folks.
 
Ringo don't know about bingo but I had a strange experience at the roulette table once.

I was on a stag do and my father was also there. We all went to a casino where we got some sort of deal - entrance fee, drink, meal, a fiver in chips and instructions at Blackjack and Roulette.

My Dad didn't listen and so when we were set loose, he asked me how to play. I explained the complicated side of roulette but he stopped listening again and just placed 1 chip (£1) on a number (17 IIRC). The casino was dead and there were no more bets on the table. We were the only ones playing. So his single solitary chip sat there as the wheel was spun. And it came up! To our surprise, he had just won £36. The dealer pushed chips our way and we laughed as we collected them. Suddenly, the dealer said "no more bets" and we realised that we had left the single chip on number 17 and the wheel was spinning again. Resigned to losing that £1 we watched as the ball hopped around and landed once again in 17. Another £36. We took that chip away and walked away with £72.

That would seem amazing beginners luck to me but even if it was rigged, it would be bloody stupid to let someone win twice in a row with the same solitary number. And the strategy didn't work as we just pocketed the cash and neither of us (AFAIK) have played roulette since.
 
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Ulalume said:
... Honestly I don't think you'd have to rig it to get people coming back, it's like a big social club with gambling. Very appealing, especially to older folks.
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Bingo isn't really a game one plays in any proactive manner requiring decision making - it's actually nothing more than a slow-motion lottery. In its earliest form bingo was even labeled as a form of lottery.

The required skill set consists of nothing more than character recognition and paying attention as the numbers are called. Off hand, I can't think of any "game" with lower skill requirements except maybe a drinking game to see who passes out last or perhaps a tontine.

This allows bingo to serve as a casual excuse to pass time with other people, and its very passive motif makes it ideal for accommodating socializing / chatting which would be intrusive or disruptive in other game scenarios.
 
There used to be little fillums on Sky in the early mornings years ago that explained different subjects like how things were made.

One was about gambling and it went into the House Edge, the Gambler's Fallacy and so on. Fascinating. Wish I could find it again! I bet sic someone on'ere can find it.

Anyway... it mentioned the concept of 'beginner's luck' and how an early win can drag people in. Just that fluke can do it with no need for fraud or illegality.

Of course if someone's doing too well the casino managers will notice and they'll be watched. Maybe given a complimentary bottle of champagne and invited to sit it out for a while.
 
I went to bingo and didn't win. I went a few times actually, it was an 'ironically-cool'* thing to do when I first moved to Brighton, and none of our group won a thing.

We got very, very dirty looks if anyone made a noise once the numbers started being called though. Death stares.

On the plus side, the bar was crazy cheap.

*Like going to see James Last, until we saw the ticket prices.
 
I have played Bingo in Working Mens Clubs in the North of England. It's proper hardcore. The numbers come so fast that you have no chance if you're pissed. And as Carlos said, silence is definitely required once the committee man starts calling.

And the prizes vary from ridiculous (Pork Chops or a Lamb leg) to amazing (£100 your corners, £200 your line and £500 your full house.)
 
In games of chance, someone (often the house) has to win. That's just the way it goes. I was playing roulette two nights ago at the Crown Casino in Melbourne and within 4 spins, the number 28 came up 3 times. Number 13 also came up twice in a row a few spins later. Anything can happen.
 
Ringo said:
I have played Bingo in Working Mens Clubs in the North of England. It's proper hardcore. The numbers come so fast that you have no chance if you're pissed. And as Carlos said, silence is definitely required once the committee man starts calling.

And the prizes vary from ridiculous (Pork Chops or a Lamb leg) to amazing (£100 your corners, £200 your line and £500 your full house.)
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My grandma lived in sheltered housing in the early 80s, they ran bingo nights at the little community centre thing nearby where the prizes were stuff like tins of beans... I think that was kind of set up to make sure people weren't too hard up for food without hurting their pride.
 
Ringo said:
I have played Bingo in Working Mens Clubs in the North of England. It's proper hardcore. The numbers come so fast that you have no chance if you're pissed. And as Carlos said, silence is definitely required once the committee man starts calling.

And the prizes vary from ridiculous (Pork Chops or a Lamb leg) to amazing (£100 your corners, £200 your line and £500 your full house.)
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I have witnessed bands, mid-set in full flow, who have been stopped for the Pies & Peas to be dished up and the Bingo to be called. Didn't matter how good they were, how hard they'd worked to build up a good atmosphere, how many people were dancing, they stopped at 10.15 and there was SILENCE throughout for the duration. Woe betide any fool thinking it's "just a game" and making any noise.

Well, silence apart from old dears screeching niceties like "Fucking Cunt!" at other old dears who had the gall to win a game.
I think any stranger coming in and winning would be torn limb from limb. Seriously.
Bingo in a Coventry WMC is not to be taken lightly.
 
I've only ever bet on a horse once, and won. Beginner's luck. I have bet on greyhounds many times, and never won. Bollocks.
 
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