Brigantine | New Jersey, New Jersey

Brigantine, or, otherwise named The Island, is a city in Atlantic County. It was incorporated in 1897 as Brigantine. In 1914, it was renamed East of the Atlantic City. Then, again, in 1924, it was renamed back to Brigantine for the brigantine shipwrecks, which consisted of over 300 shipwrecks. Brigantine is an island with a population of just over 9,000 people.

Where Can I Play Bingo in Brigantine, New Jersey?

Similar to other smaller towns in New Jersey--which has a small market for bingo and gambling outside of Atlantic City due to it's immense revenue--Brigantine only has one place available for weekly bingo games. Like many other bingo halls, bingo is held in the form of "Designer Handbag Bingo", and takes place in St. Thomas Church, on the main Brigantine Blvd. It's highly accessible with many transport links in and out of the area, and being the only place for this sort of event, it's highly popular and garners an incredible amount of attention from locals. On top of that, it's only 10 miles from the Mainland Bingo Hall in Pleasantville. However, the smaller location is very attractive for many different reasons. It means a tighter-knit community; you're more likely to feel more relaxed around familiar faces. The bingo nights can run quite late in the evening, so St. Thomas Church's proximity in Brigantine means there is no losing yourself in the dark in unfamiliar cities. On top of that, you'll always know where you are in Brigantine! With a small community of happy, welcoming people, it's a very safe place.

What Happens During a Bingo Game?

Every bingo game needs a host--not just *any* host; a lively host. A host that will get a crowd excited and joining in the fun. Nobody wants to spend their Monday evening at a quiet bingo game - how awkward! So! A host will call everyone to attention and the game will start. Ink daubers, for those super bingo players who have them, will be uncapped, and the game takes off. A proper bingo pen is very handy and helpful to keep track of and record of numbers called! First off, all teams--or solo players, or duos--will usually play to win a line. Not all bingo games offer a win for a line, though, so be sure to check if there are specific rules surrounding your game! A line can either be horizonal or vertical. In occasional cases, some bingo hosts allow the four corners of a bingo grid to be obtained for the line win. After that's awarded--sometimes with a prize--the game continues on for players to win an opportunity to get a full house. When they have that, they call out "Bingo!" Their cards are checked, confirmed, and if there is a prize at stake then it's awarded to the winner. If the game being played is a charity event, prizes will be assigned different bingo games throughout the night and given to winners. Like at St. Thomas's Church, prizes can range from monetary, to practical, to luxurious, to designer. Bingo games last around ten minutes, so several games can be played in a couple hours' time slot. It's definitely well worth your time whether you want to play 1 game or 10!

How Do I Pick a Bingo Hall to Visit in Brigantine, New Jersey?

When it comes to playing bingo locally, St. Thomas Church is an excellent choice. It's located in a beautiful area minutes away overlooking the Brigantine Beach, near marinas and condos, as well as the Brigantine Bridge being nearby which leads right into Atlantic City. Near the church are many eating places, a beautiful view to relax during the day and then you can head to bingo on Monday nights. It's also near a community center which is bound to attract lots of attention from the locals if the bingo event is advertised well. Usually, to attract a great crowd for these sort of events, hosts will need to advertise 1-2 weeks beforehand in order to give time to get attention, have potential players make room in schedules, and pass word of the event on. However, it's not too long a time period to wait that people will think it's too far away to take notice.

What Makes a Bingo Hall Good?

Contemplating what sort of bingo hall you should be checking out? Unfortunately, Brigantine only offers one, but it's a very good example of what makes a bingo venue good. It's in a very accessible location, situated on Brigantine Boulevard, near the two beaches, a community center, a superstore, and a sports center. This means that it's super accessible via car or public transport. A bingo hall must always be in range of these. Brigantine has over 64 miles of roadways, and one direct road in and out of the island: New Jersey Route 87, or the Brigantine Boulevard. Therefore, the church being situated on one of Brigantine's most well-known, well-used roads is a major bonus. This could attract more general attention. On top of this, volunteers who run the bingo events must consider who'll be a good host to call the numbers. Not everyone can be persuaded to join in public events--but with a good host, anyone can speak up a little and enjoy themselves alongside others. Another element to a good bingo hall is providing hot or cold refreshments, like coffee or soda, food or even snacks.

Gambling and New Jersey

Brigantine has a major shortage of bingo halls--only having the church serve as its main point for bingo events--due to its proximity to Atlantic City, only an 11 minute drive or 30 minute train ride, directly down the Brigantine Boulevard. This is both a bonus and disadvantage. For those who can't make the journey or don't want the looming intimidation of Atlantic City, the church is a perfectly comfortable place. However, those who want to try out both the industries and venture out a little, this is also the perfect place to have a bingo hall, to try your luck in a small-town venue before "graduating" onto higher levels of gambling.

Interesting Facts

There is a legend that Scottish pirate Captain William Kidd buried his treasure in Barnegat Bay in the late 1600s before facing trial and death by the gallows. A resident of New York City, he was actually born in Scotland in 1645. In 1700, a quarter of Kidd's rumoured treasure was uncovered, and was sent back with him to England, where he was hanged for many extensive crimes. There is still legend of more treasure buried near the bays, with over $1 million dollars in today's currency buried in the sands.
Brigantine is the home of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, a place that rehabilitates and releases over 3,900 whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and seals since it's opening in 1978.
Brittany Lee Lewis, a famous TV personality, anti-domestic violence advocate and Miss Black America (2017), was born in Brigantine. As well as her extensive list of fame, she also became a professor, defying many standards across boundaries.
A lighthouse was constructed in 1926 but it was too late to fulfil its main purpose of lighting the way for cargo and privateer ships, and the delay caused over 300 shipwrecks.
The Justice Vincent S. Haneman Memorial Bridge was originally contructed in 1924 but was destroyed in the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944. In 1972, the bridge was rebuilt.