There are a few mechanics behind bingo that you should know if you want to play the game well.
The first is that bingo cards are numbered 1-52. The player who picks up the card with the number they are seeking in numerical order gets to mark off that number on their bingo card. Bingo is scored as follows:
If the player has a complete number on their card, they get a point.
If they have a number part of their card and the remainder of the card is either a letter or a space, they get a point for that letter or space, respectively.
If they have any numbers but no letters or spaces, they get nothing.
If they have letters but no numbers, they get nothing.
If they have numbers and no letters or spaces, they get nothing.
The second mechanic is that if at any time during your turn you have at least one piece of your desired number in play (either as part of your hand or on the board), you can “bingo” and claim the point for that number.
This can be important because it can give you an early lead in scoring; if you can consistently hit your desired numbers early in the game, it can make it much easier to catch up or even pull ahead later on.
