Bingo Plaza... next to McDonalds |
Located directly opposite huge rubber tree |
It is open every day from 2pm until 2am - and on Friday and Saturday it stays open until 3am. Just like a casino you have to be over the age of 18 to enter and show photographic ID, it is best to take your passport. The number is recorded and you are then allowed to enter, which is free (the casino in Alicante charge 3 euros entry). You have to wait until the enter light above the door lights up... they do not allow you to enter whilst a game is in progress.
Plush foyer and reception area |
Now I have never been to a bingo hall in the UK so have nothing to compare it to, but I was quite shocked as to how large and plush it was inside. It has a seating capacity for 600, spread across 100 round tables. Each table has 6 chairs and set flush into the middle of the table is an led monitor so that you can follow the progress of the numbers as they are called. Each table has marker pens so you don´t need to worry about bringing your own pens.
One side of the bingo hall.... |
It wasn´t that busy yesterday afternoon, perhaps 150 - but apparently the evenings and weekends get very busy. People come and go after each game as they please. The prize money is dependent on how many people are playing... the more people the bigger the prize pot. Whilst I was there 1 line won around 15 euros and a full house was just under 90 euros.... but as I said in the evenings when busier it would be a lot more. Throughout the day they also have extra bonus jackpots... for instance, the first game of each day has a full house bonus of 1000 euros on top of the normal win - this is to entice people to come when it first opens at 2pm.
Before the start of each game an attendant will walk around the room selling bingo cards for that game. One card costs 1.50 euro but there are some bonus games which are 2 euros each ... these obviously have bigger prizes. You can play as many cards as you want per game, but to be honest I struggled with just 1 card! The lady at the next table always played 3 cards, must have been her lucky number - and her hand did go up quite a few times for wins. After the game has finished the attendants walk around again for the next game... you can play as often as you want.
Gambling arcade area |
Next to the bingo hall is a gambling arcade with various slot machines and electronic bingo. They are also about to open, hopefully by the end of this year the "Sportsbook Room" - basically a betting shop. There are screen up on the walls showing horse racing, greyhound racing and football and you can place bets on the winners.
It was certainly a fun afternoon.... next time I´ll go with a girlfriend and in the evening - when there´s more lolly to win! Although the clients were predominantly Spanish, there are also many Portuguese, French, British and Dutch visitors that go... and with the emerging Russian market another nationality to add to that list. If you do plan on going remember to take ID otherwise you won´t be allowed in.