Brick | New Jersey, New Jersey

Where Can I Play Bingo in Brick, New Jersey?

Just like everything else in this wonderful town, Brick offers no shortage of great places to hunker down to the local bingo hall for a couple hours in the evenings to enjoy a couple of games with great incentives! So step up and take your pick from these well-loved choices, because Brick's bingo interest is no small thing! First up is Beth OR Temple, located on Van ZILE Road, only a short distance from a modern business area. McDonalds before some bingo? Go ahead! It's literally over the road! So dig in, energise up on some good fast-food before you head over to this conservative synagogue that welcomes a fully-inclusive traditional congregation that's overflowing with good spirit and a friendly community. A fan of the online communities? This venue has that, too! So anyone a little nervous to check out a new place can take a scroll through forums and posts and see what sort of group they'll be going in to! There's nothing worse than going into a group for the first time and it's incredible clique-y. Not this place! You'll feel right at home. For a quieter event, why not check out St. Dominics Roman Catholic Church, where a belief group called the Rosary makers, an all-female group who make and hand out rosary beads to the local community, operate a fully-stocked and readily-available kitchen for a short-but-sweet 2 hour bingo midday? What's even better is this bingo group has a latest finish at 1pm, which is a perfect time to venture around the surrounding area for something to eat! However, the biggest rival to these admirable bingo venues is the Brick Elks Lodge #2151. Located amongst well-loved independent businesses, Elks Lodge brings the food to you during your bingo game--with a no-outside-food policy--, and give ample time to explore the area and sample what Brick Township has to offer!

So... What Does a Bingo Game Look Like?

Whether you're interested in a small-scale bingo with players' attendance under 30 people, perhaps, or you want a larger-scale event with attendance in the three digits, most bingo games have the same dynamic and layout. Tables are either placed apart, specifically designed for teams (most hosts will know an estimate number of attendees and whether players will be in teams or not, so might arrange their space accordingly), or, most commonly in community halls, long fold-out tables will stretch a considerable distance, allowing solo players or teams to sit alongside each other. This close proximity is a design to get newcomers chatting to locals, to boost spirit in the hall, and make nobody feel left out if they're playing solo. Once everyone is settled and ready--bingo halls usually have an allocated time slot where doors open before the game starts, giving more than enough time for players to prepare and catch up--players can get their ink daubers at the ready and eagerly wait for the host to start drawing numbers. Some bingo games don't have specific rules, like a line can only be horizonal. Other hosts don't accept all corners marked off for a win, but whatever the rules specific locations have, you're bound to have heaps of fun with the slight competitive feel to the game! If you're someone used to a specific way of playing, make sure to look up any intricate details of these locations when looking to decide where to play bingo, to make sure they won't be changing the rules that could affect your personal play!

All These Places in Brick, NJ! But Where to Go?

Both the church and synagogue are in close proximity to each other, so with this distance, there's no major choosing conflict! You can always check out both if you find yourself with an empty afternoon! However, the times of the bingo game might be more of a dealbreaker: the church offers it's games from 11am-1pm on Tuesdays. This could be a big factor if you're a weekly worker with average 9-5 hours, or if you're an older frequent player, this could be a perfect time for you! Break up the day before going home for lunch or venturing into the nearby restaurants? Perfect! Beth OR Temple offers a later option for those working through the day and want to still be home handily for work the next day. Its bingo games are generally held Thursdays 7-10pm. This might be more appealing for middle-aged workers, or couples, with a free evening! Brick covers many things with its bingo locations: there is very accessible parking for all locations--all are in corporate districts, with main roads to and from areas, including the Garden State Parkway Highway. If you're looking to venture a little further out, the New Jersey Transit offers bus services between Brick, Manhattan, Philadelphia, and Newark.

Deck the (Bingo) Halls!

Nobody wants to sit in a cold hall listening to the most boring, unenthusiastic host call out numbers, droning with each one. No, for many people, bingo nights are a focal point of socialisation, so they will want to make the most of it! So what *does* make a bingo hall good? How does it get decked out to be a hall that people will want to go back to? Brick Township considers this a great deal. With a population of 75,000 people, it offers three locations with different elements to big up its halls. For a small industry, the halls need to majorly big up their venues. Refreshments is a great way to attract potential players, especially when basing game times around lunch or dinner periods! For example, in St. Dominics Church, the Rosary makers operate the church's kitchen for bingo nights. Over in Elks Lodge #2151, there is a strict no outside food policy, but to counter this, the venue offers large soft pretzels, with doors opening just over two hours before the games start. This gives people plenty of time to settle in, grab a bite to eat, and socialise before playing! Due to earlier doors-open hours, if there aren't enough people to create a continuous hum of conversation, music can be a great way to fill any silent pauses!

Gambling and New Jersey

Back in 2014, John W. Trainor was arrested and accused of having ties to Genovese Mob and was one of the 11 men charged with reaping multi-million dollars throughout New Jersey through gambling and money laundering. While gambling is an open topic in New Jersey, with plenty of mental health support and counselling for gambling addiction, there have been quite a few scandals in headlines that have taken what could be harmless fun to a new, dangerous level. To get into gambling is, in itself, a gamble: there's always a risk of becoming hooked, from casinos, to slot machines, to table games, to even small-town bingo halls. There have been reports in papers of students as well as senior citizens attempting to rig bingo games when there is a high-stakes jackpot to win. That said, gambling can be a safe and enjoyable pastime if enjoyed responsibly! Bingo is legal in New Jersey for charity, and Atlantic City is home to many casinos.

Interesting Facts

• Since 2000, it's often been dubbed the safest city in New Jersey.
• Harry Bernstein, author of "The Invisible Wall" is one of the notable people born here!
• Betsy Sholl, Maine's poet laureate from 2006-2011 was also born here.
• This is also the birthplace of Kirsten Dunst (Little Women, Spider-Man, Interview with the Vampire).
• With a high support for local businesses, Brick boasts an extensive farmers market with over 50 vendors selling just about anything you might be interested in!