The National Bingo Game, is a bingo game operated by the National Bingo Game Association since 1986 and played in some British bingo clubs. At one time more than 500 bingo clubs participated in the game every night (except Christmas Day).

Contents 1 Origin of game 2 Game format 3 Controversy 4 National Lottery 5 Rollover jackpots 6 Decline of game 7 Current format 8 Biggest wins 9 Charity 10 National Game Caller of the Year 11 Notes 12 References 13 External links

[edit] Origin of game

The game was introduced under UK legislation as a game of multiple bingo UK bingo clubs are permitted under law to play only three such games of multiple bingo during any one day.

It was launched in June 1986 as technology became available whereby clubs were able to connect to a game control centre via modem to receive a preselected list of numbers which were called in the same time window in each participating bingo club.

Clubs then relayed their winner details back to the game control who would then award the National Game and Regional Game prizes to the clubs with the fastest claim that session.

[edit] Game format

The format and pricing of the game has changed several times since its launch. Originally costing 25 pence per ticket, this has changed to 30 pence, 40 pence, 50 pence and £2 for a set of six tickets amongst others.

The increase in prices did result in increased prize money - starting at £25,000 it did reach a regular Sunday Evening prize of £200,000 at a cost of 50 pence per single ticket to playing members. Members however prefer to run up to six tickets (ie £3) as that guaranteed they would have all ninety numbers somewhere on their strip of tickets.

Technology has improved since the game began in 1986 and ISDN lines are now used to collate the information. The game works like this

• Clubs register their ticket sales to game control by the cut-off time
• Approximately 10 minutes before clubs play the game, a list of all 90 call numbers are relayed to the clubs. The clubs must keep a printed list of the numbers so players can check the validity of the game. The numbers are also transmitted to the callers computer so the game can be played.
• After the game is played, each club then inputs their game winner details, the number of calls in which the claim was made and the last number called on the game as a double-check.
• All the winners details are then collated by game control who release the overall winner and results as soon as is viable.
• The national winners then sign paperwork and their claim is verified within approximately seven days when a cheque is issued to their club to collect. Sometimes presentations are made in the winning club to publicise the win, but some players prefer to remain anonymous.

[edit] Controversy

There have been some controversial incidents with wins in the past. Several cases have been reported where "syndicate" agreements have failed to maintain their promises on payment. There have been cases where some bingo customers share their major winnings with fellow bingo players, even when they are not present in the club. But there have also been instances where playing groups renege on their informal agreements when large prizes are won.

In addition, there has been a couple of occasions when players have been under the age of 18 when claiming the prize which made it ineligible. One such case involved Kimberley Davies who took her case to court when she was refused payment of her prize at the Mecca Bingo in Rochdale. ^[1] She was unsuccessful. In the event of such disputed win, clubs maintain records on winners for up to six months and the National Game can award the prize to the next fastest claim on those sessions.

One urban legend is widespread in the industry in that one girl was being presented with a cheque for several thousand pounds and was asked on stage how she was going to spend the money. She announced to a packed audience that she was going "to spend it on my eighteenth birthday next week" - which would have made her win against the rules. This story has been told as long as the National Game has been in operation, and the National Game themselves have never confirmed it happened.

[edit] National Lottery

Until 1994, the National Bingo Game was the UK’s largest computer controlled game until the National Lottery was launched. The lottery did have a negative impact on attendances at bingo clubs, although the game underwent several changes in attempt to boost prize money and compete with the lottery. In 2003, the total prize money paid by the National Game exceeded £47 million. By 2007, this had fallen to £37.7 million.

[edit] Rollover jackpots

In September 2007, bingo operators were allowed to introduce rollover jackpots for the first time and the National Game introduced the "Big N" - an optional £1 jackpot charge to players which gave them a chance to play for a gold, silver or platinum jackpot which began at £1 million.

Ticket sales for the jackpot were lower than anticipated and the prize was not won for many months, before the National Game decided to remove the optional £1 charge and introduce a 50p compulsory price rise in January 2008.

[edit] Decline of game

Several bingo clubs decided to withdraw from the game in January 2008, as price rises came whilst operators were still dealing with the effects from the smoking ban in England, which came into force in July 2007. Despite the new jackpot creating three new millionaires during 2008, Gala Bingo announced it would be withdrawing all its clubs from the National Game from September 2008 which meant another change in format. ^[2]

[edit] Current format

Following Gala's withdrawal from the game, several other clubs also took the decision to pull out of the game, meaning less participants and no further possibility of £1 million jackpot wins. The price of the tickets is now very similar to when it first launched - 25 pence per ticket each afternoon (£1.50 for a strip of 6) and £1 for a set of 3 or £2 for a set of 6 tickets in the evening. With fewer participating clubs, the National Game now promote as "Better Chances and Better Choices" ^[3]

[edit] Biggest wins

• The biggest win ever was on 23 March 2008, when Soraya Lowell from Motherwell, North Lanarkshire scooped GBP £1,167,795. The game was played in the Club 3000 bingo hall in Coatbridge

[edit] Charity

The National Game has brought all the bingo industry together each year in its annual charity campaign for Breakthrough Breast Cancer known as Bingo for Breakthrough. Operators and clubs who have withdrawn from the National Game tend to still support the charity.

[edit] National Game Caller of the Year

The National Game have operated a competition for all club callers to compete - the caller of the year competition. Regional heats are held across the country with each winner going on to the national final.

Recent winners^[4]:-

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• 2008 competition suspended
• 2007 Blake Robson, Mecca South Shields
• 2006 Brett Hyrjak
• 2005 Karl Seth
• 2004 Mandy Gargan
• 2003 Mike Vyse
• 2002 Peter Lewis
• 2001 Alan Stockdale
• 2000 Phil Groom
• 1999 Steve Linder

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• National Bingo Game website

[edit] External links

• Official site