We're Back

If it seems like we've been a little slow to update our bingo blog lately, it's because we have been working on the final touches of a big new project. We'll hopefully be able to share the details with you on this in about a week or so, but in the meantime, expect a renewed effort to bring you the latest news on the bingo and gaming industry.

Of course, we'll continue to bring you information on the latest bingo products as well. So, please be sure to check back from time to time.

Creating a Program for Your Bingo Fundraiser, Part Three

Gathering the right bingo supplies can be difficult enough for the first time bingo mananger, let alone designing a bingo program.

To help, here's the final video of our three-part series on how to create a bingo program for your fundraising event:





For more information on running a bingo or for other tips, please see our Bingo Manager Articles or our other Bingo Fundraiser Videos.

Creating a Program for Your Bingo Fundraiser, Part Two

First-time bingo managers and even some veterans can often be confused or intimidated by creating or making changes to their bingo program. That's why we've created this video series on creating a bingo program.

Below is part two in our three-part series on the basics of creating a bingo program for your bingo fundraiser:





For more information on bingo, please visit our bingo articles section or view our other bingo videos at Wholesale Bingo Supplies.

Creating a Program for Your Bingo Fundraiser, Part 1

Preparing to run a charity bingo can be a daunting task, especially if you've never ran one before. Many first time bingo managers are great at getting volunteers, gathering bingo supplies, and marketing a bingo, but when it comes to creating a program for the players, they have no idea where to begin.

If you're interested in organizing and hosting your own bingo fundraiser, but need to know the basics of getting started with your program, this video may help. It's the first in a three-part series:

Do People Know How to Find Your Bingo?

One of the sometimes overlooked parts of operating a successful bingo is proper outdoor signage. Without clear and visible signs, bingo players might not know how to find you and potential bingo players won't know you exist.

Not only will you want your bingo sign to be visible, but you'll want to put as much relevant information about your bingo there as well. Things like the times and days played, the size of your jackpots, monthly specials on bingo supplies and more should be included. Of course, make sure that everything can be easily read. Don't try to squeeze too much in so that the words are too small to be seen.

For more information please see Bingo Signage Can Help Your Attendance, Wholesale Bingo Supplies.

Presidential Daubers Are Here!

Wholesale Bingo Supplies is always looking for the latest bingo products, and the anytime new Designer Dab Daubers are introduced, they're always fun. Well they've outdone themselves this time with their Presidential Daubers.

These bingo daubers have a cool patriotic label and actually dab the likeness of the President which is pretty funny. So, if you're interested go check them out. They are a limited edition and won't be available for very long.

Also, if you're into Presidential collectibles check out this site MyBarocks.com run by a friend of ours.

Buying Bingo Paper Made Easy

Even the most experienced bingo managers can sometimes have a little difficulty when it comes to ordering bingo paper. With all of the different bingo book sizes, cuts and various terminology it can be confusing.

Here is a video that can help.



For more information on how to manage a bingo, please visit our Bingo Videos Page.

Video Bingo Benefits from Video Poker's Demise

Flying largely below radar, the number of video bingo machines in Louisiana has grown by hundreds over the past five years - mostly in parishes that banned video poker more than a decade ago.

In Lafayette Parish, which is one of those parishes, there are 75 machines in three places.

While the business takes in only a fraction of what the better-known video poker machines win from players, the devices' growth in non-gambling parishes has led critics to call electronic bingo an end-around by gambling interests.

"There are some people who voted out gambling and they're going to wake up and find it's there," said state Sen. Joe McPherson, D-Woodworth.

McPherson and state Sen. Gerald Long, R-Winnfield, are pushing legislation that would ban video bingo in the 33 parishes that tossed out video poker machines during 1996 referendums. A similar move failed last year.

For the complete story, please see AP, Video bingo grows where poker banned, TheAdvertiser.com, May 10, 2009.

California Charities Turn to Legislature for Relief After Electronic Bingo Loss

After mixed results in court battles to keep operating casino-style machines, California charitable bingo parlors are seeking financial relief in the Legislature and from tribal gambling funds.

But casino tribes protest reinstating a $5 million account originally created to compensate charities for the anticipated loss of bingo machines.

Charity groups argue that losing electronic bingo will cost them critical revenues for programs for schools, communities and the disabled.

Tribes argue the slot machine-style games violate their gambling exclusivity rights and thus threaten California's ability to collect millions of dollars in revenue-sharing payments from Indian casinos.

Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, drafted legislation to allow charities losing bingo machines to seek compensation until Oct. 31 from a fund tribes pay into to offset impacts of Indian gambling.

For the complete story, please see Peter Hecht, California charities seek relief for loss of electronic bingo, The Sacremento Bee, May 4, 2009.

County Looks to Electronic Bingo for Revenue

County Commission Chairman Lynn Sasser said Friday the county must find new revenue somewhere, and bingo might have been the answer.

Asked if the county had considered electronic bingo as a means of possible revenue, Sasser said it is not an option now.

“We had it in mind with that 565 amendment and we were thinking about ways to help this county, but not now,” Sasser said.

In March, the commission unanimously approved a resolution asking House Speaker Seth Hammett (D-Andalusia) and Sen. Jimmy Holley (R-Elba) to repeal one of two Alabama laws that affect gaming in Covington County. If House Bill 821 had passed in the legislature this year, it would have repealed legislation from 1993 that sets rules for charitable bingo in Covington County.

Once those rules were repealed, the only governing legislation for charitable bingo in Covington County would be Constitutional Amendment 565, approved by statewide vote in 1994. That amendment gives the county commission the authority to “promulgate rules and regulations for issuing permits or licenses and for operating bingo games within the county.”

For the complete story, please see Michele Gerlach, Could bingo save county?, Andalusia Star-News, May 1, 2009.

What are Pulltabs and/or Charity Tickets?

One of the most popular charitable gaming products used at bingos and/or clubs is the pulltab or charity ticket. Many people unfamiliar with bingo have no idea what a pulltab and have no idea what they look like.

Basically, they're a type of lottery ticket where players peel open windows to reveal the prize rather than scratching off certain spots. Many styles of pulltabs exist (some meant more for bingo and some meant more for clubrooms) and they are typically sold either in pulltab machines or by bingo workers and/or other staff. Regardless of where they're sold, they've become an essential part of most nonprofit groups charitable gaming fundraising efforts.

For more information on pulltabs, please see What Are Charity Game Ticket Games (or Pulltabs)?, Wholesale Bingo Supplies.com

Your Bingo Should Be Prepared for a Smoking Ban

With a smoking ban likely looming over Michigan bingos, bingo managers, bingo supplies providers, and hall owners need to be prepared to take steps to keep the smokers in their crowd coming back.

If your bingo is about to become smoke free, don't sit back and wait for it to happen. Be proactive and begin planning now. Embrace your customers that smoke and let them know what steps you'll be taking to accomodate them, and then make sure you follow through.

Here's some steps you can take:

1. Educate your smokers on the new policy and what they should be prepared for.

2. Create a comfortable and nice smoking area for your bingo players that smoke.

3. Be prepared to change your bingo games or offer additional breaks.

4. Have as much fun as possible with it. We recommend you do this with every aspect of your bingo, so why not try to make this fun too.

5. Clean, clean, and clean. Use this as an opportunity to brighten up your bingo hall.

For more information, please see our article on Preparing Your Bingo for a Smoking Ban.

For a Happy Bingo, Treat Your Bingo Players Like Gold

Bingo managers frequently struggle with getting and keeping good bingo workers. As a result, their bingos can often be strained as new workers make mistakes while learning the ropes, causing bingo players to grumble and become unhappy.

Happy, knowledgeable workers can be a bingo's biggest asset. They treat their players well, are helpful with explaining bingo supplies and bingo programs, and generally help smooth out operations from start to finish. In turn, player retention is usually very strong.

For tips on recruiting bingo workers and keeping them happy, please see Bingo Workers Are People Too.

Bingo Managers: Listening to Your Players Too Much May Spell Disaster for Your Bingo

In today's competitive bingo environment, it is more important than ever for your bingo to open to changing up some of your current games or bringing in new games. If your bingo faces intense competition from other bingos, you may need the ability to quickly modify your game or you could be left behind.

One thing that frequently prevents bingo chairs from making needed adjustments, or embracing new products is the fear of their players. I often hear from chairpeople who want to modify theirprogram, but decide against it after putting their ideas to a vote from their players. Some chairpeople eve think it's best to let their players decide what changes, if any, should be made.

Unfortunately, bingo players are human just like everyone. If you let them, they'll often vote for, or against, changes based upon what's best for them, and not what's best for your bingo.

Asking your players how to run your game is kind of like a shop owner asking his customers what prices he should charge. If Wal-Mart asked its shoppers what they should be charged for products, they'd probably have a lot of happy customers. But, they'd probably also end up out of business.

Of course, I'm not saying you should never listen to your players, but do so with a grain of salt. Obviously, you should always address complaints and try to carry the latest in bingo supplies, but don't let customer "suggestions" take over your bingo. Frequently, your most vocal players simply don't speak for the all of your players. And, the majority should be what you're most concerned with.

Trust me, your bingo players will let you know how much they like your bingo through their attendance and spending. Those two things, above everything else, should be your biggest concerns when deciding what is right for your bingo.

Wholesalebingosupplies.com Site Should Be Up Soon.

Wholesalebingosupplies.com, our online bingo supplies and bingo equipment store should be up and running in the near future.

We will carry everything from bingo paper to bingo ink to bingo bags to the smaller novelty bingo items. It will feature a wide selection of bingo daubers from all of the major manufacturers, as well as, the smaller newcomers. Trust me, this site will have all of your standard and not so standard bingo supplies.

However, be patient. The major bingo supply items will be going up first and much of the peripheral bingo supplies will be added as we go. Please be sure to email us if you have any questions or comments about specific items you may be interested in.

Electronic Bingo Still Gaining Momentum

Every month, more and more of our bingo customers are signing up for and enjoying the benefits of electronic bingo.

For those of you who don't know (and that number is dwindling every day), electronic bingo allows bingo players to play bingo cards electronically. Players have cards loaded into handheld units similar to large calculators and play these alongside their bingo paper books.

Initially popular in mainly the larger commercial halls, players all over Michigan are now embracing the fun of electronic bingo. Smaller bingos have caught on and are now bringing the excitement to their players.

Players that want electronics must spend a little extra for the privelage, and that's where the charities benefit. It's not uncommon for bingos using electronics to make $100's more in profit per bingo session. Player's love them and frequently demand them.

Jerry Klima, chairperson of the Elks 113 in Jackson, stated these words to me awhile back "If not for electronic bingo, our bingo would have closed the doors. We were barely scraping by and now our attendance is growing and we're making good money. I don't know how any bingo will be able to survive in the future without them."

With no upfront costs & no risk (you're charged a fee only if you rent a unit to a bingo player), more and more bingo chairpeople across the state are enjoying the increased profits and player fun that electronics offer.

Welcome to the Wholesale Bingo Supplies Blog!

Hello and welcome to the Wholesale Bingo Supplies Blog focusing on bingo products and the charitable gaming industry.

In this blog, we will primarily discuss news and opinions regarding the bingo and charitable gaming industry. However, I'm sure we'll venture off-topic on occasion as well. While coverage will focus heavily on the Michigan market(our home state), we will also cover news at the local, state, national, and even world levels. Whatever the topic, we hope to provide our readers with valuable and entertaining content.

The Wholesale Bingo Supplies blog is affiliated with Wholesale Bingo Supplies.com (online providers of bingo supplies and other gaming products), as well as, Blue Bay South, Michigan's largest direct provider of bingo and gaming supplies to the Michigan licensed charitable market.