What to buy for a bingo night

A bingo night needs more than bingo cards and prizes. Plan supplies for registration, several rounds, the prize table, drinks, snacks and a clear playing area. Buy or bring enough cards and markers for every player, plus spares for missing or damaged items. The shopping list below covers the game equipment, tableware, refreshments and simple decorations needed to set up the room without last-minute shopping.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 55
Registration desk
Prize table
Drinks table

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 60
Tea glassesqty 60
Drinking glassesqty 70
Platesqty 60
Forksqty 60
Knivesqty 60
Teaspoonsqty 60
Serving traysqty 8

Equipment

Bingo cage
Bingo ballsqty 90
Microphone
Speakerqty 2
Laptop
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3

Game materials

Bingo cardsqty 120
Bingo markersqty 60
Spare markersqty 12
Round cardsqty 10
Score sheetsqty 60
Pensqty 20

Decorations

Bingo letters
Balloonsqty 60
Buntingqty 8
Tableclothsqty 8
Price labelsqty 30

Lighting

LED light stringsqty 4
Table lampsqty 4

Kitchen

Coffee makerqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Thermos flasksqty 4
Coolersqty 3
Ice cube traysqty 4
Cutting boardsqty 3
Bread knivesqty 2
Serving spoonsqty 6
Serving tongsqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4

Catering

Prize bagsqty 30
Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Iced tea - 4 bottles
- Sparkling water - 6 bottles
- Still water - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 3 packs
- Orange juice - 3 cartons
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Tortilla chips - 4 bags
- Snack nuts - 3 bags
- Salty breadsticks - 3 bags
- Popcorn - 3 bags
- Cheese cubes - 2 kilos
- Sliced sausage - 1.5 kilos
- Cucumber - 6 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 1.5 kilos
- Grapes - 2 kilos
- Apples - 3 kilos
- Dipping sauce - 6 tubs
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Herb butter - 6 tubs
- Mini wraps - 6 packs
- Hummus - 4 tubs
- Herb cream cheese - 4 tubs
- Vegetarian cold cuts - 4 packs
- Napkins - 250 pieces
- Cocktail sticks - 2 boxes
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Parchment paper - 1 roll
- Trash bags - 4 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Cleaning sponges - 2 packs
- Paper towels - 4 packs
- Hand soap - 3 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 2 packs
- AA batteries - 2 packs

Tips

Prepare one bingo card and one marker for each player, then add at least 10% extra markers and a few spare cards. Lost markers are common once several rounds are underway.
Plan prizes by round before you shop. One prize per announced winning pattern avoids confusion at the prize table, while wrapped prizes keep the result hidden until the winner is called.
Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Include water as well as the planned soft or alcoholic drinks.
For food, prepare about 4 to 6 small bites or sandwich pieces per person if bingo is the main activity. Buy plates, forks, knives and serving trays before the shopping trip; these are easy to overlook.
Set aside extension cords and power strips for the microphone, speaker and laptop, and test them before guests arrive. Keep cables away from walkways so players can move safely between tables.

Frequently asked questions

How many bingo cards do I need per person?: Prepare at least one bingo card for every player in each round. For a group of 40, bring 44 cards or another small surplus so late changes and damaged cards do not interrupt the game.
How many bingo markers should I buy for bingo night?: Provide one marker per player and keep at least 10% extra available. For 40 players, that means 44 markers; add more if players may use several cards at once.
How many drinks and snacks do I need for a bingo night?: Allow two to three drinks per person during the first hour, followed by one per person per additional hour. Plan 4 to 6 small bites or sandwich pieces per person when snacks replace a full meal.
When should I buy the bingo prizes?: Buy the prizes at least 3 to 5 days before bingo night. This leaves time to check the number of rounds, wrap the prizes and replace anything that is unavailable.

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