Edison | New Jersey, New Jersey

Where Can I Play Bingo in Edison, New Jersey?

Edison is very advanced area, despite its very dated founding. However, its old roots are no match for the modernisation it boasts. Amidst towering monuments, museums, and public parks, there are three bingo halls in Edison. Each hall aims for a different demographic, and each is located within good proximity to each other so if one hall doesn't entirely suit your needs, another is only a short walk away! St Helena's Catholic Church lords over the corner of Grove Avenue and New Dover Road. A little ways south-east, the JCC of Middlesex County community center is right near Menlo Park, a beautiful place to wander around. And then, not too far from one of Edison's biggest attractions, the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, is St Matthews school, a bingo hall that's often populated by school kids.

What Happens During a Bingo Game?

As there are three local bingo halls, each game will run a little differently. For example, if the community center holds bingo charity events, the bingo cards might have a higher fee. Whereas in the school, bingo games won't have an admission fee and may be purely for fun for children. Most commonly, bingo grids are sold in books (for a steeper fee), or single sheets with multiple grids on. As most bingo games average at 10 minutes, many players will prepare for the shorter game length and buy multiple grids. You can also purchase a few sheets and use empty grids the next time! There's no necessary requirement to buy a new one each time, especially if you're a weekly member and known amongst the group! The host of the bingo game calls for all players to get ready to play, and starts drawing numbers. The numbers range from 1-75, and are called out randomly. Players tick off a square if that correlates to the number. Once a line is won, the first winner is announced. Then players go for a full house, which is the ultimate bingo win! Not all weekly bingo games have prizes or jackpots; however, some events do have these as incentive to get more people involved. But if you're after a cup of coffee and some socialisation to break up your day, a weekly low-stakes bingo is perfect!

Where is the Edison, New Jersey Bingo!?

Immediately, one bingo hall can be crossed off most people's decision list, which is St Matthew's School, and that's because it's a children-only game, during the school week on Monday at 10am. However, for parents wanting their children to get a little extra social time--perhaps if their child isn't making many friends into a new semester, or they want to ensure their child is in a good place amongst other kids--this is perfect, and quite unique. Not many places offer a child-friendly bingo due to spending and winning money. Specifically, the event is called "Breakfast and Bingo with Buddies", perfect for social time aimed at school kids. Even if the child isn't inclined to play it's still a great place to mix with other students. If you're a player who loves a virtual community to connect with before your bingo event starts, you'll love the highly popular St Helena's! It has a large Facebook following, where everyone who's interested can connect and talk and confirm details! New to the area or want to check out different places and feel a little nervous about meeting new people? No problem! Facebook can be that bridge for you. JCC, as a community center, gets a lot of popularity amongst families. With its services branching out to children and adults alike, it covers a large area of bases and it's bingo games are no different! It's reputation as a stronghold in the community precedes it, and you'll definitely find a place to call home-from-home in this community center.

What Makes a Bingo Hall Good?

There are several things to consider when it comes to the venue of an event like a bingo game, both interior and exterior elements. First off, externally, there must be parking either on-site or nearby, because, when considering that over 75% of Edison's population drive, the likelihood is that most players will be driving to the bingo hall. However, the locations in Edison consist of a school, a community center, and a church, which all have primary public purposes outside of bingo, which means that parking will definitely be available, and accessible. Another thing that makes a bingo hall good is having either restaurants or diners nearby so the public have the option to eat around bingo hours, if there's no kitchen available on-site. However, this is definitely a thing to consider! Most bingo events can last 2-3 hours, so considering having some sort of snack or refreshments is a must! But considering that a lot of bingo events are volunteer-run, any budget for refreshments and someone to lead that part of the event, might not be too easy to get. And, of course, who doesn't want a lively, joyful host when going to their local bingo game? A good bingo host is a must! You want someone who'll have a chat, provide good banter for the crowd, have a laugh with regulars and make newcomers feel right at home! Bingo can be a great socialising place, and a host could add to that aspect of the night for a lot of people by giving a happy, excited example!

Gambling and New Jersey

In 2019, Edison invested an incredible $15.5 million to a gambling group to establish a larger corporate market for online gambling. With New Jersey being incredibly liberal with its gambling laws, and a popular sector for revenue and income, it's no wonder businesses are jumping at the chance to invest in corporate gambling opportunities. The reaped benefits are major, especially with Atlantic City being a staggering chasm of revenue for New Jersey. Furthermore, bingo is entirely legal in New Jersey as charitable gains, not necessarily for profitable gains.

Interesting Facts

• David Bryan, keyboardist and founding member of Bon Jovi, was born in Edison in 1962.
• Jerry Dior, a graphic designer who created the Major League Baseball logo, was born in Edison.
• Edison is also the birthplace of Mark Polansky, born in 1970, a former NASA astronaut.
• Bonhamtown was a site of one of the smaller battles in the American Revolutionary War.
• Previously called Raritan Township, Edison was renamed after inventor Thomas Edison in the late 1600s.