Bingo Drinking Game Rules for Adults (21+) and How to Play Responsibly

How does a bingo drinking game work?

It’s ordinary bingo with a few sip rules on top. One person calls numbers (or words), everyone marks their own cards, and certain moments trigger a small sip. The bingo part stays the same, so anyone who knows how to play bingo can join in seconds.

What you need:

• One printable bingo card per player (word cards are great for parties)
• A caller, or our free online bingo caller on a TV or laptop
• Markers or daubers
• Drinks, including plenty of non-alcoholic choices and water
• Food on the table before the first game

What are the basic bingo drinking game rules?

Keep the rules short enough that everyone remembers them. These are the classic house rules most groups start with:

1. Winner hands out sips. Whoever gets bingo gives out a set number of sips (say, three) to anyone they choose.
2. False bingo costs you. Shout “Bingo!” with a wrong card and take a sip.
3. Free space toast. At the start of each game, everyone raises a glass to the free space. No sip required.
4. Pattern change. When the caller announces a new pattern, the last game’s loser picks the next one.

Set a sip size before you start. “One sip” should mean a small mouthful, not a long swallow. The game is built around taking a few sips over an hour, not around drinking fast.

What variations can you play?

Pick one variation per night so the rules stay simple. Here are three formats that work well.

Movie and TV bingo

Make word cards with moments that are likely to happen in the show you’re watching. A sip when someone marks a square is too much for a two-hour movie, so most groups only sip on a completed line. A blackout ends the game.

Sports bingo

Sports nights pair well with themed cards. Try our Super Bowl, baseball or March Madness cards, with squares such as “challenge flag,” “home run” or “buzzer-beater.”

New Year’s Eve bingo

Use New Year’s Eve cards and make the final blackout game end at midnight. The winner gets the first toast.

How do you keep a bingo drinking game safe?

Build the safety into the rules, not just the speech at the start. Good hosts do these things:

• Count drinks, not sips. A US standard drink is about 14 grams of alcohol: 12 ounces of 5% beer, 5 ounces of 12% wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
• Know where “too much” starts. The NIAAA defines binge drinking as roughly five or more drinks for men or four or more for women in about two hours. A game night should stay well below that.
• Let anyone “pass.” Any player can swap a sip for water, soda or a mocktail, no questions asked.
• Serve food. Pizza, snacks and a proper meal slow alcohol absorption.
• Cap the games. Five or six games is plenty. End with a blackout and switch to dessert.
• Plan rides home. Line up a designated driver or rideshare before the first game.
• Watch your guests. Stop the game for anyone who seems unwell, and call 911 if someone is hard to wake or is vomiting while drowsy.

The CDC notes that people under 21, people who are pregnant, people with certain medical conditions, people taking interacting medications and people recovering from alcohol use disorder should not drink at all. Make the non-alcoholic version the default for them.

Can you play a non-alcoholic version?

Yes, and it’s just as fun. Swap sips for:

• Biting a lemon wedge
• Funny forfeits: speak in an accent until the next number
• Collecting candy instead of drinking it
• A chip system where the winner wins everyone’s chips at the end

These versions work for mixed-age family parties, too. For a whole night of kid-friendly ideas, see our guide on hosting a bingo night.

Is a bingo drinking game gambling?

Not if nobody pays to play and there’s no prize of value. Adding money changes things: a game where players pay in and win cash can fall under your state’s gambling or charitable gaming law. Keep party games free. If you want stakes, use bragging rights or a small donated prize. Our responsible gaming page has more on keeping games fun.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free and confidential at 1-800-662-4357, 24 hours a day.