As the holiday season approaches, consumers purchase many games as gifts. Of all the games I’ve played, Bingo stands out as a favorite. Bingo has a long history—as a game and as a source for many works registered with the Copyright Office.
As a teenager, I volunteered at my church’s weekly Bingo game. I either pushed the coffee cart up and down the aisles or worked in the kitchen making pierogis. While the coffee and pierogis were interesting, the game of Bingo was absolutely fascinating. The superstition among the players was incredible—troll dolls, pictures of grandkids, Bingo markers arranged in a specific color order, and many other good luck charms graced each player’s area. Players firmly believed in the luck these items brought when they won and got quite upset when they didn’t. I vividly remember one woman, frustrated by no luck one night, standing up and yelling “this game is fixed!” before storming out.