"jakdedert" wrote in message
...
Ron wrote:
Arfa Daily wrote:

The blower and ball system is a lot more random than the current
computer system, which generates very definite patterns, no matter what
the bingo clubs would have you believe to the contrary.

Actually Arfa, it`s very easy for an experienced bingo caller to
manipulate games using the old blower machine. He can make games last
longer in slack periods or get them over quick when it`s busy, and in
bingo halls or stalls with fixed cards, a good operator can direct the
wins to various areas of the house - possibly even to individual players.
It was even easier to manipulate a game in the earlier days of the game,
where wooden balls were rolled down a chute directed by the stallholder.

Ron(UK)

Listening to you teabags (I use the term affectionately) discuss this,
it's obvious that Bingo--however it's played there--is a lot more
mainstream than here. Here, it's played mostly by little old ladies at
church socials. That said, many casinos have Bingo rooms, but I've never
bothered to peek in. Possibly it's a different demographic, but somehow I
doubt it.

jak

Bingo in the UK is huge. Just about every town and city has a bingo hall.
There are a couple of very large chains, and several smaller independants
who operate them. They are often located in former cinemas, but many are
also in custom buildings. You have to be 18 and a member to enter the
premises and play, because it is licensed as a gambling establishment.
Whilst the game and clubs used to be associated primarily with the blue
rinse brigade, most have worked hard to dispel this image, and the
demographic has changed a lot over the past 15 years perhaps. You will now
find all ages from 18 to 80+ all happily attending a bingo club. The social
aspect has been 'bigged up' considerably, and most clubs now have
comfortable table seating, air conditioning, bars and food, as well as
slots, and sometimes entertainment as well. My local club holds over 1800
people, and there are others that are even bigger.

http://www.rivabingo.com/find_a_club...ls/northampton

Several millions GBP are paid out in prize money collectively, every week.
In my club for instance, on a Sunday night, the last three in-house games
are worth £1500 each. The Sunday night link game is worth £13000, and the
National Game used to be worth £200k, but less now. A couple of years back,
I took a share of the National Game regional pot, which amounted to nearly
£7k, so not to be sneezed at.

I don't know how long this situation will persist though. The industry was
dealt a big blow by the smoking ban that was brought in in 2006, and then
another one when our government's chancellor altered the taxation laws to
get double tax from the clubs. The current economic situation might be the
last straw, if people start to see their wallets getting thinner, and
continue to lose their jobs. Social activities like bingo, would likely be
one of the first belt-tightening exercises. I would think that the balance
between keeping prize money at a level that makes it worth going, against
revenue from falling numbers, would be a tricky one, that probably has a
graph with a cliff on it ...

Arfa