Utah
Mountainous Utah is beloved for its jagged landscape and the opportunities for hiking and winter sports that it provides. Utah is a very up and coming state with big population growth as people flood to the area's growing metropolises. Are you looking to play bingo in Utah? Find out everything you need to know here.What is a bingo hall?
Bingo halls are traditionally places that hold games of bingo. This could be a commercial bingo hall, or a venue like a fire station or a veterans' club that hosts charity bingo games. In Utah, bingo for money is illegal under the gambling laws, so any games of bingo held in the state must be for fun only with no aspect of gambling. That means that there are no commercial bingo halls in Utah. Instead, a for-fun game of bingo could be held anywhere! You might find a game in a bar, a library, or a social club; because it's not gambling for money, anyone can play! Of course, anyone wishing to try out playing bingo for money can go next-door to neighbouring states which allow more forms of gambling.
How does a game of bingo work?
If you've never played bingo before, you might be wondering how the whole thing works! Here's a quick guide to how a typical bingo game usually runs. Of course, some places mix things up a little, but this is what you can expect from a classic game of bingo! When a game of bingo begins, everyone gets their bingo cards. These are a 5x5 grid filled with random numbers between 1 and 75. There is a winning pattern of boxes to be marked on the card- this is what you are aiming for. It could be a simple line, a full house (every square marked), or a shape. Once everyone is settled, the room will fall quiet so everyone can hear as the caller begins to draw numbers and announce them. The players daub the numbers on their cards when they are called. The first player to daub every box for the winning pattern must quickly shout BINGO to stop the game and claim the victory!
How do I choose a bingo game in Utah?
Bingo games are not very common in Utah, because gambling for money is not legal. That means that you won't find any commercial or even charity bingo games running within the state. However, you may find games of bingo that are held just for fun, with no betting or money involved. And if you really want to play a commercial bingo game, you can do so in other states, including neighbouring states like Nevada. When considering how to choose a venue to visit for a game of bingo, consider what you would like from your experience. Do you want to play for money? In that case, you should be looking for bingo halls outside of Utah. Do you want a fun, friendly game with no gambling involved? Consider the bingo games running nearest to you! How do you know where holds play-for-fun bingo games? Choose your nearest town from the list, and you will see all the venues nearest to you that offer bingo games.
How do I know which bingo halls are good?
When trying to choose a game of bingo to join, it can be tricky to know which ones are going to be any good! The trick is to consider what would make your bingo game a great experience for you personally, and go for a game that matches that as much as possible. Would you love snacks to be available during the game? Find a bingo event that offers food! Or perhaps a parking lot at the venue would make your visit more comfortable? Be sure to look at which facilities a venue offers to get an idea of which would be a good match for you.
Is gambling permitted in Utah?
Utah is the most restrictive state in the US when it comes to gambling. No forms of gambling are legal in Utah, either in person or online. That means no casinos or race tracks of course, but also no lottery or even raffle games. Some businesses have found creative ways around this, like giving out bingo tickets free with a meal or a purchase, or charging nothing for tickets so no money is being gambled, but for all intents and purposes, gambling in Utah is completely illegal. So why is Utah so vehemently opposed to gambling? The majority of Utah residents belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, and this Mormon church does not allow many activities that are legal in the US, including consumption of nicotine, caffeine, or alcohol. Gambling is expressly forbidden, and with so much of Utah's population and lawmakers belonging to the LDS Church, its values are reflected in Utah's laws. Alcohol can only be purchased from limited state-owned liquor stores, and gambling is completely illegal in all its forms.
Interesting Facts
- The Utahraptor, named after the state where its fossil was discovered, is a larger dinosaur than its more famous, chicken-sized cousin the Velociraptor. The raptors in the Jurassic Park films are thought to quite closely resemble how Utahraptor would have looked.
- The very first restaurant to serve KFC was not in Kentucky- it was in Utah! Colonel Sanders persuaded his friend Leon W Harman to serve the Colonel's chicken recipe at Harman's café in Salt Lake City.
- Kane County in Utah is called "Little Hollywood" because its striking landscapes have been used in Westerns and sci-fi movies for decades.
- Across the US, Utah ranks #1 for the number of volunteers, #1 in terms of donated income, and #1 in median contributions to charity. What a kind-hearted state!
- Bingham Canyon, one of Utah's many mines, is the largest open-pit mine in the world. At 2.7 miles across, the mine is so large, astronauts can see it from space!