T-shirt blasters, $2,200 in prizes, and a packed venue are a recipe for excitement, but high stakes can often lead to tension.
The University Center Board (UCB) hosted their highly anticipated bingo night on April 1st at 7 pm. UCB’s last bingo night was two Springs ago. Students who previously remembered the event were desperate for it to make a return.
“We are responsible for holding some of the largest events on campus,” Lorenz De Los Reyes, president of UCB, said. “Ever since COVID hit, we kind of dwindled down, but I am trying to raise that backup and host bigger events like this.”
UCB is known for giving out high-ticket prizes, and this bingo was no exception. A PS5, Xbox, TV, Dyson hairdryer, Nintendo Switch, and an iPad were some of the prizes up for grabs.
“We wanted to go for more expensive items, Addie Auer, a DEI advocate for UCB, said. “Things people couldn’t afford for themselves, they could have a chance to get [them] for free.”
There was a high energy throughout the night as students frantically waved their arms in an effort to be shot with a t-shirt. They booed for the numbers that weren’t on their cards and cheered for the ones that were. Those at the table with a bingo winner were quick to help their friend scream “bingo” when the time came.
“My friends at the table said somebody from the table needs to win,” Nelly Clark said. “We were literally watching each other’s cards.”
The best and most expensive prizes were left for rounds where four-corners and blackout were played. For the most part, the evening went off without a hitch. However, there is bound to be a little chaos when things don’t go according to plan.
“The way bingo runs is that there’s always going to be something that happens,” De Los Reyes said.
During the four-corners round, there were five available prizes. The idea was that five separate rounds of four-corners would be played to give the prizes away. When five people bingo-ed at the same time in the first round, those hopes went out the window.
“They raised their hands. We didn’t hear anyone say bingo given the environment where everyone’s talking, plus it is really echo-y in here,” De Los Reyes said.
This situation required some quick thinking for UCB members to formulate a plan on the fairest way to distribute the prizes. In a true problem-solving fashion, UCB had all the winners fight to the death in the ultimate battle of “pick the number” and “rock, paper, scissors” to determine the order winners would choose prizes. This situation meant that only one round of four-corner bingo was played.
“I was slightly overwhelmed when I won,” Anna Quick said. “I could tell that the UCB workers did not know what to do with the five winners. I was thinking I wouldn’t get anything, but then they decided to do a game of ‘pick the number,’ and I knew I was back in the running.”
For the three most coveted prizes, the PS5, Xbox, and iPad, the recipients were supposed to be the first three winners of blackout. With only the iPad remaining, one last call number was announced, and screaming immediately erupted from two different sides of the room. There were two winners and only one prize.
“My favorite part was playing the blackout round for the big prizes even though that round had me nervous,” Clark said. “I’ve been to their bingo before; it was two years ago, and they gave away some prizes, but this year was even better.”
De Los Reyes had the foresight to recognize that a situation like this was plausible and had made a disclaimer earlier that if two bingos happened at the same time, the prize would go to whoever said it first. He set up his phone camera in the corner of the room so they would be able to go back and see who was first.
“We knew Deja needed one more number,” Clark said. “They called her number, and we all jumped up as a unit and celebrated with her.”
It was time to make a decision and judge the close call. After examining the footage, it was determined that Deja Hobbs was the winner. She won the iPad and the included Apple Pencil and four Apple AirTags.
“I hope to win anytime I come to bingo, and for me to actually win, I’m just really excited,” Hobbs said. “This is probably the first time I actually won at bingo.”
Not everyone was satisfied with the results of the final bingo. Some thought it was too close to call and made their feelings known to UCB members. In the end, the call had already been made, and the prize was given accordingly.
“I would encourage participants to be positive,” Remi Mendenhall said. “Congratulate everybody for winning. When you bring negativity, that ruins the whole event.”
Most participants had a great time at the event, and De Los Reyes expressed intentions of doing bingo more often in the future. His goal is to continue improving the event through trial and error.
“I’m really happy with the turnout,” De Los Reyes said. “The last time we hosted the UCB bingo, it was more than we expected. When it came to asking for the setup for the rooms, I told them, ‘Let’s fit in as many round tables and chairs as we can,’ just in case. I was hoping for a big turnout; I’m really glad we filled 95% of the chairs.”
