Irish Bingo Rules | How to play

In this article, we’ll be looking at Irish Bingo, rules and all. Bingo is a hugely popular game worldwide for several good reasons. First, of course, is its simplicity. The rules and objectives are straightforward and can be picked up in no time by beginners. However, a level of skill and practice is required to become a genuinely proficient player, keeping the game challenging no matter what your level.  

Another reason for its popularity is its adaptability. There are tons of bingo variants to be found. Most people are familiar with all the great online bingo games available, including the great slots/bingo combination that you get when you play Slingo. But did you know the game can also be adapted for parties and other social events, and even educational purposes? 

However, we won’t be looking at these in this article. Instead, we’ll be introducing the game known as Irish Bingo. Bingo is massive in the UK, so it should come as no surprise that it’s equally popular among our nearest neighbours, and it should also be no surprise that the nation that produced such creative geniuses as James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Shane McGowen, to name but a few, also put their own special twist on the game. 

Bingo first came to Ireland in the 1960s, and the Catholic Church, never one to miss an opportunity, adopted it enthusiastically as a way of raising funds. Soon, church halls up and down the country were echoing with bingo calls on a Saturday night. The game got a further boost in the 1970s, thanks, oddly enough, to efforts to revive the Irish language, which had been brutally suppressed under the centuries-long English occupation.  

A private Irish lottery, called Gael Linn (Irish Pools), was created with the aim of raising funds for scholarships and means of promoting the study and use of Gaelic. This organisation also recognised the potential of Bingo as a fundraising activity, and, in the 1970s, Gael Linn brought and adapted many old buildings into Bingo halls. Unfortunately, the precise origins of Irish Bingo are lost in the mists of time, but the rules are not, so read on to learn how to play Stand-up, Sit-down Bingo, as it is also known.  

Irish Bingo Rules 

We all know how standard Bingo works, players buy their tickets, take their seats and the game begins. The MC calls out the numbers, and the players mark off any that match on their cards, with the aim of completing a predetermined line or pattern. 

Not so in Irish Bingo. The start is the same, with players buying one or more cards, depending on the policies of the venue. But then things take a turn. In Irish Bingo, after acquiring their tickets, everyone stands instead of sitting. The Master of Ceremonies (MC) takes charge, drawing numbers randomly from a shuffled set, just like in a regular game. If a called number matches one on a player’s ticket, they take a seat.  

The objective in Irish Bingo is not to be the first to complete a pattern but rather to be the last player remaining standing. The last person standing claims the winning prize. Some venues even extend rewards to the last three standing players! 

As you can see, this variant of the game is easy to play and very entertaining. It is, of course, confined to Bingo halls and physical locations. But don’t worry, if you want to give it a try, you don’t have to travel to the Emerald Isle as many Stand-up, Sit-down games are organised in the UK, usually with the proceeds going to charity. So, keep an eye on your local paper, and if you don’t find a game, consider organising one yourself! 

Irish Bingo FAQs