Bingo prizes at a glance
- Plan one prize per round, plus two or three spares for ties.
- Save the best prize for the last and longest round, usually a blackout.
- Small, non-cash prizes keep bingo a party game. Cash and paid entry can make it regulated gambling.
- Free prizes like choosing the music or skipping a chore work surprisingly well.
- A prize table, where winners pick their own prize, avoids "I already have one of those."
How many bingo prizes do you need?
Count the rounds you plan to play, then add a buffer for ties, since two players often complete a pattern on the same call. A simple rule:
Prizes needed = number of rounds + 2 or 3 spares. Six rounds? Get eight or nine prizes.
Most parties play 4 to 8 rounds. Quick patterns like a single line finish in a few minutes, while a blackout takes much longer, so plan more rounds of quick patterns and just one or two long ones. Our bingo patterns guide shows how many calls each pattern usually takes.
Ways to hand out prizes
- Prize table: lay everything out and let each winner choose. The first winner gets the widest choice.
- Mystery prizes: wrap prizes in the same paper so no one knows what they're getting.
- Grand prize finale: announce the best prize at the start, and give it to the final blackout winner.
- Steal rule: a later winner can take an earlier winner's unwrapped prize instead of a new one, white-elephant style.
- Ties: give both winners a prize from the spares, or play a quick tiebreaker round like four corners.
Free bingo prize ideas
- Choose the next song or playlist
- First pick of dessert or snacks
- Be the caller for the next round
- A paper crown or "Bingo Champion" sash
- A homemade certificate with a funny title
- Skip one chore, or a "no dishes tonight" pass
- Pick the next movie or game
- Choose where everyone sits at dinner
- Bragging rights and a round of applause
Bingo prizes by budget
Under $2 each
- Fun-size chocolate or candy
- Stickers or sticker sheets
- Bubbles or glow sticks
- Hand sanitizer or lip balm
- Novelty pens or pencils
- Bookmarks
- Individual tea bags or hot cocoa packets
- Scratch-off style trivia cards
- Mini notepads
- Hair ties or clips
$2 to $10 each
- Scented candles
- Coffee mugs
- Small succulent or plant
- Cozy socks
- Nice chocolate bar
- Jigsaw puzzle
- Deck of cards or a small card game
- Kitchen towels
- Travel mug
- Face masks or bath bombs
- Phone stand
- Mini photo frame
Bigger prizes for the final round
- Board game
- Throw blanket
- Bluetooth speaker
- Cookbook
- Gift basket of snacks or treats
- Picnic set
- Plant in a decorative pot
- Movie night bundle with popcorn and candy
- Book from a favorite author
Bingo prizes by crowd
For adults
- Wine glasses or a nice coffee blend
- Candles and room sprays
- Gourmet snacks
- Kitchen gadgets
- Plants
- Notebooks and nice pens
- Gag gifts for the blackout round
For kids
- Stickers and temporary tattoos
- Bubbles, bouncy balls, and glow sticks
- Small puzzles and activity books
- Crayons and coloring pages
- Slime or putty
- Mini figures or toy cars
For the classroom
- Choose the next class game
- Sit at the teacher's desk for a lesson
- Extra recess or free time
- Homework pass
- Line leader for the day
- Pencils, erasers, and bookmarks
- A class "bingo champion" certificate
Many schools have rules about food and candy because of allergies, so non-food prizes are the safer choice in classrooms.
For the office
- Coffee shop treat or snack box
- Desk plant
- Nice pen or notebook
- Leave-early pass (if your manager agrees)
- Best parking spot for a week
- Choose the team lunch spot
- Novelty trophy that moves to each new winner
For bridal and baby showers
- Candles
- Mini bottles of lotion or bath sets
- Succulents in small pots
- Chocolate truffles
- Nail polish
- Cute mugs
- Honey or jam jars
For holiday parties
- Hot cocoa kits
- Holiday mugs
- Ornaments
- Cozy socks
- Candy canes or cookies
- Holiday puzzles
- Festive candles
Funny bingo prizes
- A giant novelty trophy passed to each new winner
- A "World's Okayest Bingo Player" mug
- A rubber chicken
- A single fancy potato, beautifully wrapped
- A crown and cape the winner must wear until the next round
- A framed photo of the host
Keep bingo a party game
Bingo becomes a regulated activity in many places when players pay to play or win money. In the United States and Canada, charitable and commercial bingo is licensed at the state or provincial level. For example, the New York State Gaming Commission and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario each publish rules for licensed bingo games. In the UK, events where players buy tickets for prizes, like tombolas and raffles, fall under lottery rules.
A free game among friends, family, coworkers, or students, with small non-cash prizes, is the kind of bingo Bingo Card Maker Free is made for. If you plan to charge for cards or raise money, check the rules where you live first. This guide isn't legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What are good prizes for bingo?
Good bingo prizes are small, useful, or funny, and match the crowd. Candles, snacks, mugs, puzzles, and plants work for adults; stickers, bubbles, and small toys work for kids; and classroom privileges like choosing the next game cost nothing. Save the best prize for the final blackout round.
How many prizes do you need for bingo?
Plan one prize per round, plus two or three spares for ties. A party that plays six rounds needs about eight or nine prizes. If you let players pick from a prize table, add a few extra so the last winner still has a choice.
What are free bingo prize ideas?
Free prizes include choosing the music, first pick of dessert, skipping a chore, a paper crown, a funny homemade certificate, being the next caller, or extra recess time in a classroom.
What are good bingo prizes for adults?
Adults tend to enjoy practical or indulgent small prizes: candles, fancy chocolate, coffee or tea, a plant, a nice notebook, kitchen gadgets, cozy socks, or a funny gag gift for the blackout round.
Should bingo prizes be cash?
For a party game, stick to non-cash prizes. Bingo played for money or with paid entry is regulated as gambling or charitable gaming in many places. Bingo Card Maker Free is for entertainment only, with no money or wagering.
What are good bingo prizes for kids?
Stickers, bubbles, glow sticks, bouncy balls, small puzzles, coloring pages, bookmarks, and temporary tattoos are inexpensive and popular. In classrooms, check school rules on food before giving candy, since some students have allergies.
Sources
- New York State Gaming Commission, Sample Bingo House Rules.
- Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Rules of Play: Bingo.
- Parentkind, How to run a tombola.