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How to Make a Bingo Game

by Aksana Nikolai

Overview

Originating in 1929, the game bingo involves completing one or more horizontal, vertical or diagonal rows on a grid of numbers as the numbers are randomly selected and called out. Players can also win by completing the entire card, which is known as blackout. Playing bingo need not require visiting a casino or spending money on a store-bought bingo set. A homemade bingo game can be easily created with the help of just a few materials.

Step 1

Make a bingo card for each player. Divide a sheet of paper into a grid measuring 5 boxes across and 6 boxes down. Write "BINGO" in the first row of boxes. To save time, you may wish to create a 5 x 6 table in a word processing document, print it out and make enough photocopies for all the players.
Step 2

Label center of the card, or the third box of the fourth row, "Free Space".
Step 3

Type up and print out a list of 40 to 50 different numbers. You will be cutting out the individual numbers later on, so be sure to use an easily-readable font size and leave approximately several spaces between each number if typing numbers across the page.
Step 4

Fill in the empty boxes on each card with numbers from the list. A number may not be used to fill more than one box on a card. Avoid using the same numbers on every card. Use numbers 1 to 15 under the "B" column, numbers 16 to 30 under the "I" column and so forth, with a set of 15 numbers used under each column.
Step 5

Create calling cards by cutting out each item from the list of numbers. Place these cutouts into a bag, hat or other object from which the caller will randomly draw the numbers during the game. For example, B3, N36, etc.
Step 6

Prepare materials that players will place onto the grid to make off numbers that have been called. Examples include dried beans, poker chips, clothing buttons and small paper squares or circles. If gathering enough pieces for a large number of players is unfeasible, each player can use a pencil to cross off a number when it is called.

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Sheets of paper Writing utensil Word processing computer program Photocopier Printer and printing paper Scissors Container-like object for storing calling cards
Sheets of paper
Writing utensil
Word processing computer program
Photocopier
Printer and printing paper
Scissors
Container-like object for storing calling cards
Create a themed bingo game if you do not wish to use numbers. Ideas include filling in the boxes on each card with names of friends and/or family members, animals or countries.
Create a themed bingo game if you do not wish to use numbers. Ideas include filling in the boxes on each card with names of friends and/or family members, animals or countries.