When  presented with the concept of ‘Rebel Bingo’, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Semantically, the terminology seemed to suggest either a form of Bingo that rebelled against the traditional Bingo format or, alternatively, a game of regular bingo played solely by those deserving of the ‘Rebel’ attribute. While a part of me hoped I might enter the club to see it populated by incarnations of Che Guevera, James Dean and Spartacus all earnestly hunched over their Bingo cards, it soon became apparent that the former description was much more likely.

The basic premise of the game is this: participants are handed a Bingo card and marker when they enter the club (this specific game took place at Scala in King’s Cross) and after a significant amount of time has passed to ensure everyone has become properly liquored up, the games begin. Burlesque dancers on stage call out numbers and when a player has one line, two lines and then a full house they must rush onto stage to hug the MC who will check their numbers and declare them either a ‘Winner’ or ‘Loser’ (not a great game for anyone currently suffering a midlife crisis). The numbers are actually read out at a surprisingly rapid rate and considering the lighting is fairly low and everyone is – let’s face it – a significant way away from ‘sober’, it becomes more challenging than one might think, if highly entertaining. Such difficulties mean that a lot of people will erroneously mark off some of their numbers. Or potentially, there are just people out there who possess leprechauns on their shoulders which like to shout out numbers at random intervals.

Whichever, I would heartily recommend checking off your numbers very carefully, for while the ‘Winner’ is met with smoke and applause, if you are found to be incorrect, the word ‘Loser’ will flash up on a screen, you will be booed and ushered back into the crowd where you will be judged for your inability to correctly play a game at which nonagenarians excel.

The winners in question seemed delighted with their prizes. The first prize presented was a fluffy panda which the MC deemed ‘a great friend for anyone who’s single and lonely’. This seemed perhaps a touch patronising, however  - to be fair – I’ve been on several dates in the past where a stuffed panda would indeed have made a better dinner companion. Another prize  was an ipod soundsystem where the MC declared that everyone should accompany the winner back to his house so a party could be thrown with the new gadget. The crowd responded in an enthusiastic and slightly sinister mob-like fashion meaning the winner looked faintly terrified that several hundred strangers were going to rip-apart his house that night. The final prize was a bicycle which went to a young lady  who, upon being revealed as the winner, sunk to her knees  exclaiming delight, in a somewhat bizarre if highly amusing display. I don’t know, maybe she was some variety of 2013 Elliot and she was relieved that she was going to finally get ET home that evening.

In summation, definitely go along and check this out if you like drinking, dancing and some fast-paced, exciting and hilarious games in between. Also, considering how many times the word ‘Bingo’ is said in a night, I defy you not to get that childhood song about the dog stuck in your head on a loop; you know the one I mean. Sorry. But if I have to suffer, so does everyone else.

Find out more about Rebel Bingo and book tickets here