The crowd grasps for glow–in–the–dark headbands and eyeglasses flying in the air. The room is dark except for floating neon colors ablaze from the black light. It’s not a rave, it’s Friday night, at the Seminole Casino in Hollywood, and everyone is here for the Cosmic Bingo. Hundreds of people stand in the aisles between long, cafeteria–style bingo tables to collect neon trinkets. Enthusiasm bubbles as if this were a professional sports game. Those who aren’t grasping at freebies are standing in line to redeem the two drink tickets that come with the admission price, which varies from $6 to $10.
Cosmic Bingo is a party first and a high–stakes, high–speed bingo competition second. But if you’re in it for the $100 cash prize then you really have to listen for the letter and number combinations which are blurted out over the music, and making a mistake leads to public humiliation. If you call out an improper “bingo” everyone in the room turns to you and yells out “loser.”
In between the nine rounds of bingo, a hype man and bingo–card checkers in bright neon green shirts dance on the tables and host dance contests between winners who have to gain the audience’s approval by shaking their butts to songs such as Salt–n–Pepa’s “Push It” or Rob Base’s “It Takes Two”.
A hype man persuades people to bust out their best moves to songs from Beyoncé to Pit Bull to hip-hop and rap classics. Dancing is practically mandatory. The bingo hall turns into a full–on club for a few moments. At one point, a wave starts up on one end of the room and travels back and forth across the room.
“This is my first time gambling ever,” said Stephanie Karnes, a 21–year–old blonde from Aventura who usually hangs out at downtown Fort Lauderdale clubs like The Brick and Automatic Slim’s. She’s dressed in a black and white polka–dot dress, and beams when she says, “I think that this is one of the funnest things I’ve done club–wise, and I really like the interaction,”
Diana Ramirez, a 21–year-old in a tube top and stretch pants with her hair slicked back into a ponytail, adds to that sentiment, “It’s healthier than other nightclubs. There can be fights in clubs and stuff, but here everyone’s joking and dancing around. It’s different. I think that the mix of ages is interesting because you don’t see it much nowadays.”
With the exception of a smattering of typical white–haired denizens of standard bingo halls, the crowd here is typical of any South Florida nightclub.
The game is played out over nine rounds in a one–hour block. The first session begins at 10 p.m. and is followed by another round at 11 p.m. If you don’t have luck with the cards, than a second prize can be garnished with the ticket raffle.
Because Cosmic Bingo ends at midnight, it’s not likely to be the end of the evening for most of the people who attend. Cosmic Bingo is held at Seminole Casino, not to be confused with the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, hint hint.
Address: 4150 N. State Road Seven, Hollywood, FL, 954-583-3250
Hours: Friday night, sessions at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
