It's all about bingos!
Welcome to one of the ugliest sites on the web built by someone who did web stuff for a living.
We are talking about bingo machines here, mostly Bally, but with a few digressions into United and other manufacturers.
My main interest is the technical details and reference materials. If you are looking for interesting reading instead of getting bogged down in techno-babble, click over to Danny Leach's bingo site or Ray Watts site
The folks at Pinball Australia have also written up some stuff on how the games work.
If reading isn't your thing, try Nick Baldridge's For Amusement Only podcast and especially look for episodes on the Multi-bingo.
Where's the little numbered balls?
Wrong kinda bingo. We are interested in pinball machines that look somewhat like this thing.
They have no flippers, 5+ balls, and are, umm, "for amusement only" (we posted a "No Gambling Allowed" sign on the machine...that's how much we mean it!).
If you want to get the historical perspective, check out the History link over there to the left. We've swiped articles by Russ Jensen and added some pictures. Also, Jeffrey Lawton (no, that's not me!) has published a book published by Schiffer cleverly titled "Bally's Bingo Pinball Machines", so it should be easy to find.
Information for each game (like schematics, manuals, flyers, score/instruction card scans/repros, mixer/reflex unit blueprints, etc.) is in the game listings and the paper summary.
A very good computer version of various machines is at http://bingo.joopriem.nl/. Plus, he's building in a method for using the software with a real playfield and cabinet so you can add a computer and display to create a multiple game machine.
What's new
Here's as good a place as any for those ancient-school little "what's new" images!
Star Time - another modified Big Show owned by Tom Phipps | 03/26/24 | |
Bingo not noisy enough? Bally made a sound kit to add chimes to a Mystic Gate, and Kurt sent me the documentation around 6 months ago, and I ... uh ... put it where I'd get right to it. | 06/15/23 | |
Every wonder what happens to the inventory when a large operator closes the business? Someone buys it all. See what Nathan at dixieland pinball has available. | 04/22/23 |
Old entries are hoarded in case you missed them