How to Play Getting-to-Know-You Bingo

We all have that one friend that seems to know everything about the people in your social circle, and we’re not talking about a gossip queen here. We’re talking about someone that knows Tiffany got attacked by a goose in the third grade, which is why she hates petting zoos, that Mike has a birthday on a leap year, and Kevin had a red VW Beetle in his youth that he keeps a picture of in his wallet.

 Some people just have a knack for listening and remembering certain things that people say. If you’re someone who is too involved at the snack table or has to repeat someone’s name six times after being introduced, you’re not alone! Getting to know people isn’t easy and while it is a bit simpler with a friendship group of five, it gets a bit trickier with extended friendship groups, family, and certainly colleagues. 

That’s where ice-breaker games come in. They’re fun, competitive and take you out of your comfort zone just a little bit. Getting-to-know-you bingo is one of our favourite online bingo games to play that ensures no one stands around awkwardly at a get-together ever again. 

Let’s take a look at how it’s played.

What you will need

One of the joys of this game is that it’s super simple to set up. Even the most disorganised person can print out a few cards and gather together some pens.

Probably the most difficult part of the set up is picking the list of descriptions. If you’re doing this for a big bunch of colleagues, then it’s unlikely that you’re going to know that Douglas has a scar behind his knee from falling off his bike. So, it’s best to keep things generic. Some examples include: Loves pineapple on pizza, has broken a bone, is married, etc. Alternatively, you can use an online tool for generating these questions if you’re really stuck.

For smaller friend and family groups, it’s a bit easier to pick questions that are more customised to the crowd. Think of random, funny, or interesting things about the people you are playing with. This could include things like: sat in a bunch of stinging nettles while camping, has gone three days without showering, still lives with their parents, etc. The more outlandish and frankly ridiculous, the more fun your game is going to be.

How is it played?

This is a game that is deceptively straightforward. There’s no catch. No complications. It’s downright easy enough that even your dog could play it if they had opposable thumbs.

Every person playing the game gets a card with 25 ‘facts’ on it — you can leave the middle block empty.

The group gets given a certain amount of time to complete the game. For small groups, 10 to 15 minutes is more than enough and for larger groups, you should give them about half an hour. The time starts to tick as soon as you say “GO”.

People then have to walk around the group in the set time period and find someone that they think has one of the facts on their card. If they do, then they must put their signature below it and if not then the person must move on to find someone who might have it.

Keep in mind that a person cannot sign a card more than once, so players really have to work to try to figure out which people are most likely going to help them complete a line.

How do you win?

The way to win the game is the same as any traditional or online bingo game. Mark out five squares in a row across or down the page and yell “BINGO!”. You could also have other winning patterns like normal bingo, where you can still win in other ways such as with a full house.

At Lucky Pants Bingo, we always think it’s important to add a little spice to really kick the competition up a notch — have some cool prizes on offer for the winners to really give people an incentive.

Another great idea is to have a theme, especially leading up to the festive season. Everyone has to come dressed up and you can decorate the venue. The best dressed wins a great prize, while the worst dressed gets something not so glamorous, like a shot or an embarrassing hat to wear for the rest of the day.

Can it be played virtually?

We may not be able to gather in groups this festive season, but that doesn’t mean that fun can’t be had. In fact, this virtual version of getting-to-know-you bingo is perhaps even more fun than the in-person game.

As per usual, we like to spice things up, so we’re going to combine two games here: Bingo and Two Lies and One Truth.

Give everyone in the group web links or email them a printable version of the board of facts you’ve created. Then everyone needs to take a turn in saying two lies and one truth about themselves that are located on the board. Players must choose what they think is the truth and then mark it down in pencil. If they confirm it’s the truth, they can keep it. If not they must rub it out and they are not able to mark down the correct answer. 

The first to five in a row is the winner.

Get festive with Lucky Pants Bingo

If you’re looking for an online bingo site that has enough wonderful online bingo games to keep you entertained this festive season, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got everything from traditional bingo for those who like to keep things vanilla, to Slingo bingo and slots for those who want to try something a little more risqué. Come on and give us a try, and don’t forget your lucky pants.