Is Bingo a Good First Date?

There’s nothing quite like that excited, giddy feeling that you get just after you’ve asked someone out and they’ve said yes. But soon after, panic can set in as you desperately try to think of where to meet, what to wear, and what to say.

The obvious choices to hold your date are restaurants, cafes, pubs, and cinemas. But if you want to impress, maybe you should consider picking a location and activity that’s unique—such as a bingo hall!

Here, we look at the benefits of choosing bingo for a first date and how it can help break the ice.

Top reasons for a bingo date

There are plenty of reasons why bingo makes the perfect first date. For example, it gives you something fun to focus on, the chance to win prizes, the opportunity to let the conversation flow naturally when breaks in the game permit, and a safe place to meet.

A sociable & public activity

Bingo is a very social activity where players love to chat with each other between sessions. So, you needn’t worry about feeling like the odd ones out.

Bingo clubs are also very safe and secure public places, which means you should both feel confident and comfortable in each other’s company.

Fun activity as a backdrop

When you go on dates at a pub or restaurant, you run the risk of the conversation running dry. So, when you have an activity such as a bingo game to keep you both focused, there’s far less chance of experiencing awkward silences as you both try to think of funny or interesting things to say!

You can get to know each other while playing

Playing bingo together allows for friendly rivalry, and social distancing permitting, also gives you the chance to get tactile by high-fiving or hugging your date if they happen to win.

The breaks between games mean that you can escape to the bar or restaurant for a more intimate chat, and if you’re stuck for topics to talk about, you can always steer the conversation towards your feelings about bingo.

Less pressure

Because you’ll both be taking part in the games, there’s less pressure to impress. Instead, you’ll be concentrating on keeping track of your tickets and getting ready to shout out if you get a full house.

Plus, unlike going to a restaurant or bar, there’s less chance of accidentally spilling your drink over yourself or your date and getting food stuck in your teeth. Feeling a bit nervous? Sweaty palms can easily be blamed on the excitement of the game!

You can play in person or online

If there’s one thing that lockdown has taught us, it’s that we can hold dates, host birthday parties, enter pub quizzes, and catch up with friends and family online.

With technology like Zoom, it’s easy to set up a video call. So, why not see if your date fancies a session of online bingo?

You’ll both need to agree in advance where you want to play (e.g. Foxy Bingo - nudge nudge, wink wink), then go online to play bingo games at the same time. But to make things more personal, you can keep your conversation out of the public chat room and get to know each other over the video call instead.

What to wear

The great thing about playing bingo is that there’s no particular dress code. So, if you’d feel more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, you should go for it. Equally, you should feel free to dress up if you wish (many players do if they’re celebrating a special occasion). However, a tuxedo or a cocktail gown might be a step too far.

What games to play

The games that you can play differ from club-to-club, but most bingo halls offer 90-ball bingo where you can win prizes for completing one line, two lines, and a full house.

If you or your date haven’t played bingo in a club before, the staff will be happy to explain how to play.

Often, you’ll be given a pen called a dabber which is used to mark the numbers on your tickets, but in some venues, you can choose to use electronic terminals or tablets that automatically dab your cards.