Going out with your friends will never get boring but – dare we say it? – it can become a little bit sameish. You know what we mean, don’t you? You’ve tried out all of the bars and restaurants in your city, visited your local so many times you know each of the regulars by name, and have taste tested just about every cocktail within a twenty-mile radius.

There’s now little left to the imagination when you head out for your weekly meet and greet, so in the end, you almost end up feeling a bit deflated. You stand in front of the mirror, slip into your new shoes, experiment with that daring red lipstick you’ve been dying to try out… and yet the excitement just isn’t there anymore.  

Luckily, this is exactly the sort of scenario bar bingo was created for. The ultimate game for grown-ups, this fun little fad is just the ticket for livening up your evening and adding some excitement to your night. Here’s how it’s played…

How to play Bar Bingo?

We're all familiar with how to play bingo, aren’t we? You walk into a venue, get handed a scorecard with 25 randomly numbered squares, and have to do your level best to cover at least five of them in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line as a man or woman stands at the front and calls out bingo numbers. 

Well, bar bingo is similar, except that you substitute numbers for words - and choose them yourself! When you see said objects or sights on your night out, you get to cross them off, and you keep going with this until at least one person in your group has filled in every single box. 

Now here’s the fun part. This idea obviously doesn’t work unless you choose things you’ll actually see when you’re out and about, so the terms you select have to relate to the places you’re going and the fun you’re planning to have. Drinks, venues, and typical night on the town sights are each fair game, so "mojito", "nightclub", and "PDA" would all work well.

Of course, without a caller to keep track of things, you need some way to prove you’re not cheats, and a smartphone is the perfect tool for the job. Snap what you see, gather together around the nearest table once someone claims to have a BINGO!, and go through the evidence of your wild night out as a group to make sure the winner is entirely deserving of their victory.        

The prize for this lucky individual? Although traditional bingo jackpots are sadly off the table, they do get to have their drinks and entrance fees covered by everybody else for the remainder of the evening. 

What can you spot and snap?

If bar bingo sounds like it could equal seriously good sport, perhaps it’s time to start preparing for a game? To do that, you’re going to need some words to add to your cards, so here are a few places you can look for inspiration. 

Your environment 

If there’s one thing you’re guaranteed to see on any night out, it’s bar-related paraphernalia. We’re talking everything from soft furnishings to the bricks-and-mortar buildings themselves, so definitely include words along the lines of "bar stools", "beer glasses", "nightclub", "drinks coaster", "karaoke machine" and so on. You might even want to put "bingo" down if you have a friend who can't resist a cheeky game when they're out and about.       

Drinks 

You can also say for certain that one thing there’ll be lots of is alcohol, and drinks provide plenty of inspiration for filling up your boxes. Be sure to include all of your favourites, from "mojito" and "lager" through to "rose", "red wine", and "dry white". The best part is that if the words are slow to come, you can simply order a cocktail or two of your own to hurry things along, complete with "umbrella" and "cherry" on top to help you tick off an extra box or two in the process.  

Food 

Like drinks, you’re likely to find food in abundance. Whilst we’re not saying gourmet meals are going to be on the cards when you visit your local Wetherspoons, lemon, lime, and strawberries to top your cocktails, crisps, and bar snacks should all be out in force. Include a few of these to fill up your boxes and you should have little trouble tracking down the snaps you need to win.     

People 

If there’s one thing that can be said for men and women on a night out, it’s that they tend to be predictable. There’s always some glamorous girl in sky-high heels and a body-con dress, a suited and booted middle-aged businessman, and a young and muscly guy who’s practically bursting out of his tight white t-shirt. They behave in pretty predictable ways too. Look out not just for the standard "bartender" and "hot guy", but also the "sleeveless shirt wearer", "out-of-place OAP", and "over-the-top PDA couple" if you want to score some serious points.     

Events 

Last but not least, we advise keeping an eye out for some likely night out events. These could include everything from the mundane – such as "sports on TV" – to the more dramatic, like "inebriated couple arguing" or "drunken lady falling over in the loo". The golden rule is this: The funnier it would be to sneakily catch on camera, the more reason there is to feature it on your card. After all, it’s meant to be exciting.   

Fun, silly, and an absolutely great way to liven up your night, bar bingo games really are the perfect tonic for those who want to make their evening on the town extra enjoyable. Play bingo it with your friends, your work colleagues, or even your partner to guarantee yourselves one heck of a good time. And remember, don’t forget to look back at your camera roll come morning so you can relive every cringe-worthy and comedic second all over again!

New to Wink Bingo? Be sure to check out our amazing bingo offers!