Football Bingo Tournament 2026

 

Join our Football Bingo tournament for the NFL playoffs!!   Now just $10!!

No matter which team you’re rooting for (or against), you can win and help out hundreds of community college students by joining our Football Bingo tournament. 

Entry fee is now just $10 (one Bingo card) + $5 for each additional card. Every card you buy is applied to every playoff game. You can also access our live Bingo tracker which will automatically tell you whose cards are hitting the most squares. You won’t have to watch all the games or check ESPN every hour - we’ll take care of all that for you!

JUST ADDED: If you are hosting a watch party for the playoffs, you can get a party set of Bingo cards for $1 each (minimum 10). These are just party favors; cards would not be eligible for the prizes listed below.

You can pay via Venmo here. Add the following information in your Venmo note:

• "Football Bingo" with the number of cards you want to buy. (Indicate "party set" if that's what you're getting.)

• An email address where we can send your cards and your donation letter.

Proceeds benefit the L.A.S.E.R. Fund at Chabot College, which provides student scholarships and other support for the Language Arts division. You can read about the L.A.S.E.R. fund (Language Arts Student & Employee Resilience) at this link. We’ve had an incredibly successful year. Highlights include:

• Hosting conferences for faculty across the state - both CATESOL (ESL/ELD) and FLANC (World Languages) provided great professional development by and for instructors from around the state, from elementary school to university.

• Our English department was recognized as a 2025 Pathway Champion for having one of the highest student success rates in the state! 

Feel free to send any questions to me at coach.pinza@gmail.com or via Instagram @misterpinza. This can include alternate ways to pay - I'm pretty flexible there.

How the game works:

You're given a Pinza Football Bingo card that you can use for every NFL playoff game. Each card gets scored for each NFL game independently; the card is considered "wiped clean" after each game. Every square on your Bingo card represents a different incident that may occur during the game.

Scoring

Each square gets marked off as the incident occurs (see below for a complete list of all the possible squares and their definition.) If an incident occurs multiple times in the same game, you earn a point for each of these occurrences.

ESPN's game summaries and box scores will be used as the source for which incidents occurred and how many times.

You earn "BINGO" on your card by marking off five squares in a row - horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Free Spaces

You can earn a "free space" if your card has a set of incidents that are impossible to occur in the same game. Each "free space" that is marked is worth one point. "Free spaces" can be used to achieve a row of "Bingo." 

The following scenarios are the only ones in which a "free space" may be earned:

• If your card has both "Home Win" and "Away Win", you can mark both spaces.

• If your card has both "Home Half Lead" and "Away Half Lead" and the score is not tied at halftime, you can mark both spaces.

Sample Scoring using the Baltimore at Houston game on Wednesday, December 25, 2024:  Free spaces are highlighted in green; other squares are marked in yellow. 

Notice the diagonal "Bingo."

For the tie-breakers (see below), any square that occurred multiple times was given multiple points. For this game, those point totals were:

• Home Scoreless Qtr = 3

• Away Qtr Lead = 2

• Home Failed 4th dwn = 2

• Away TD = 4

• Away 3 punts = 2

Rankings

The top-scoring card for every NFL playoff game will earn a prize for its owner: an offer of a "refund" of part or all of your total donation, based on the number of players in the Bingo tournament. 

The top-scoring card for each game will be based on:

a) Total number of five-in-a-row Bingo's. If these are tied,

b) Total number of unique squares marked on the card. If these are also tied,

c) Total number of points earned across all squares.  (The example above would score 21 points.)

d) If still tied, the player who has won the fewest Bingo games thus far will be awarded the prize.

e) If this is also tied, the player who has the fewest "Free" spaces within their rows of Bingo will be awarded the prize.

If all of these are tied, then multiple winners will be declared for that game, and they would split the available prize pool for that game evenly.

Current Prizes per round: Wild Card = $2 per game, Division = $3, Conference = $3, Final = $7

Adding Cards

Players can purchase additional cards for $5 each, with at least $3 from each purchase donated to the LASER Fund. (The prize pool will be augmented until the total amount offered for each playoff game is at least $20. No more than $2 from any one of these Bingo card purchases will be applied for this purpose.)

These additional cards can be purchased at any time until the start of the Super Bowl. 

Email or DM me at any time if you need another copy of your Bingo cards:

coach.pinza@gmail.com OR @misterpinza on Instagram

Incidents and Definitions

Here are all the possible incidents and their precise definitions. Statistics are based on ESPN's game summaries and box scores. There are a total of thirty-two different unique incidents; twenty-five will appear on each Bingo card. 

Home/Away Win = the designated team wins the game.

Home/Away TD = a touchdown is scored by the designated team. 

Home/Away FG = a field goal is scored by the designated team.

Home/Away 2 pt = The designated team scores a safety or a two-point conversion after a touchdown.

Home/Away Qtr Lead = The designated team has more total points at the end of the first or third quarter.   (Referring to *total* score for the game, not points scored during the quarter.)

Tied Qtr = The total scores for both teams are the same at the end of the first or third quarter.

Home/Away Scoreless Qtr = The team scores zero points in a single quarter.

Home/Away Half Lead = The team has more total points at halftime.

Tied Half = The total scores for both teams are the same at halftime or at the end of the fourth quarter.

Home/Away Fumble Takeaway = The team recovers a fumble by the other team, resulting in a turnover.

Home/Away INT = The team's defense intercepts a pass thrown by the other team's offense, resulting in a turnover.

Home/Away 5 pen = The team is assessed five penalties during the game. Penalties that are declined do not count. Each group of five penalties registers one point. 

Home/Away 3 sacks = The team's defense sacks the opposing quarterback three times during the game. Each group of three sacks registers one point. 

Home/Away 3 punts = The team punts three times during the game. Punts that are blocked by the opponent still count. Each group of three punts registers one point. 

Home/Away 4th dwn convert = The team's offense runs a play on 4th down and successfully earns a first down. Field goal attempts and punts do not count, but fake field goals or punts do count. 

Home/Away Failed 4th dwn = The team's offense runs a play on 4th down and fails to earn a first down. Field goal attempts and punts do not count, but fake field goals or punts do count. 

Home/Away Missed Kick = The team attempts, but fails to score, on a field goal or a point-after-touchdown (PAT). Kicks that are blocked by the opponent still count.

Feel free to send any questions to me at coach.pinza@gmail.com or via Instagram @misterpinza. 

I hope you can support our fund and enjoy a little extra entertainment alongside the football games, regardless of which team you root for (or against).

Donation receipt letters

I will send every player a letter for their donation next week. The amount listed in the letter will deduct the amount you've won from whatever you initially paid.  (If you paid $30 and won $5, the letter will show a $25 donation.)

The Chart

 

My experience as a student in 9^th grade Spanish 1 informed how I would teach 9^th grade English over a decade later.

NHL Playoff Bingo Fundraiser 2026

Stanley Cup Playoff Bingo 2026

$20 to enter!  You can pay via Venmo here.

$20 buys one Bingo card that is used for every playoff series until the Stanley Cup is awarded in June. You don't need to do anything! I track the stats and will post regular Bingo updates on the results blog.  Add more Bingo cards for $5 each.  These will also be in play for every playoff series.

Cash Prizes to be listed here (based on number of entries)    

Based on payments received as of April 6, 8:30am Pacific:

$1 for the top Bingo card in every playoff series.

- 8 series in the first round, 16 teams total.

- 4 series in the divisional round

- the Eastern and Western Conference Finals

- the Stanley Cup Final

$15 in total prizes.

We will provide updated results on our Bingo tracker. See a preview here.

Where your Donation goes:

My NHL Playoff Bingo Fundraiser benefits the LASER Fund, which supports the students and employees of the Chabot College Language Arts division with scholarships and other benefits. 

80% of your entry fee will be donated to the fund, and at least half of that donation will be dedicated to student scholarships. 

You can pay via Venmo here. 

Feel free to send any questions to me at coach.pinza@gmail.com or via Instagram @misterpinza. This can include alternate ways to pay - I'm pretty flexible there.

*** Hockey Playoff Bingo rules.  

How the game works:

Every Hockey Playoff Bingo card can be used for every NHL playoff series up to and including the Stanley Cup Final. Each card gets scored for each playoff series independently; the card is considered "wiped clean" after each round. Every square on your Bingo card represents a different incident that may occur during the series. Some may occur during a single game; other squares refer to what happens across an entire series.   (Every round of the playoffs is a best-of-seven games series.)

We just launched a new Bingo Tracker so players can visually see how their card shapes up in each series. Feel free to give it a look!

Scoring

Each square gets marked off as the incident occurs (see below for a complete list of all the possible squares and their definition.) If an incident occurs multiple times in the same game, you earn a point for each of these occurrences.

NHL GameCenter, box score, and game reports will be used as the source for which incidents occurred and how many times.

You earn "BINGO" on your card by marking off five squares in a row - horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Players are not responsible for tracking their cards across the playoff series. All results will be centrally tracked, and winners will be individually notified.

Free Spaces

You can earn a "free space" if your card has a set of incidents that are impossible to occur in the same series. Each "free space" that is marked is worth one point. "Free spaces" can be used to achieve a row of "Bingo." 

The following scenarios are the only ones in which a "free space" may be earned:

• If you have more than one "Win Series" scenario, and any one of them occurs, you can mark ALL of them on your card.

Sample Scoring using the 2024 Stanley Cup Final:  Free spaces are highlighted in green; other squares are marked in yellow. 

Notice the number of different ways this card achieves "Bingo," including three that used the free spaces.

For the tie-breakers (see below), you count the number of squares marked (21 in this case), and then, any square that occurred multiple times was given multiple points. This card scored 47 points during the series, including:

• 8 times that the low-seed (Edmonton) was held scoreless in a period, 
• 7 times that the low-seed (Edmonton) was leading at the first or second intermission of a game, and
• 5 times that the high seed (Florida) was leading at the first or second intermission of a game.

Rankings

The top-scoring card for every NHL playoff round or series will earn a prize for its owner: an offer of a "refund" of part or all of your total donation. The number of players determines the size and quantity of the prizes. Keep checking the top of this blog entry to see how the prize pool develops.

The top-scoring card for each game will be based on:

a) Total number of five-in-a-row Bingo's. If these are tied,

b) Total number of unique squares marked on the card. If these are also tied,

c) Total number of points earned across all squares.  (The example above would score 21 points.)

d) If still tied, the player who has won the fewest Bingo games thus far will be awarded the prize.

e) If this is also tied, the player who has the fewest "Free" spaces within their rows of Bingo will be awarded the prize.

If all of these are tied, then multiple winners will be declared for that game, and they would split the available prize pool for that game evenly.

Adding Cards

Players can purchase additional cards for $5 each, with at least $3 from each purchase donated to the LASER Fund. (The prize pool will be augmented until the total amount offered for each playoff game is at least $20. No more than $2 from any one of these Bingo card purchases will be applied for this purpose.)

These additional cards can be purchased at any time until the start of the Stanley Cup Final.

Incidents and Definitions

Here are all the possible incidents and their precise definitions. Statistics are based on NHL GameCenter, box score, and game reports. There are a total of forty-eight different unique incidents; twenty-five will appear on each Bingo card. 

[Hi #] refers to the team with the higher seed in the playoff series. This team typically hosts Games 1 and 2.

[Lo #] refers to the team with the lower seed in the playoff series. This team typically hosts Games 3 and 4. 

Seeding will be based on the overall league standings. Eight teams from each conference advanced to the playoffs, though in the first two rounds, teams are bracketed by divisions. 

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Metropolitan Division

#2 Washington vs #17 Montreal  (wild card)

#10 Carolina vs #16 New Jersey  

Atlantic Division

#4 Toronto vs #14 Ottawa (wild card)    

#7 Tampa Bay vs #12 Florida 

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central Division

#1 Winnipeg vs #14 St. Louis (wild card)  

#5 Dallas vs #8 Colorado   

Pacific Division

#3 Vegas vs #13 Minnesota (wild card)    

#6 Los Angeles vs #9 Edmonton    

NOTE: The #15 team (Calgary) will miss the playoffs because there are eight teams in their conference (West) that are ranked higher. This results in the #17 team (Montreal) in the East getting the final playoff spot.

More Definitions

Game Results

Win a game: The designated team [ Hi # ] or [ Lo # ] wins a game in the series. 

Interm lead: The designated team is leading at the first or second intermission of any game. (Hockey games are three periods with two intermissions in between.)

Game tied @ interm: At either the first or second intermission of any game, the score is tied. 

Overtime game: Any game in the series goes into overtime.

Scoreless period: The designated team scores no goals during a period in any game in the series. 

Wins series in ## gms: The designated team wins the series in the designated number of games. (Reminder: each series is a best-of-seven. A team wins the series when it wins four games, but they may play four, five, six, or seven games in the series before that happens.)

Team and Individual Scoring

1st goal in game: The designated team scores the first goal in any game in the series. 

4v4/SH goal: The designated team scores a goal while short-handed in any game in the series. This includes situations where the team is killing a penalty and when both teams skate four players to a side (4 v 4).

Player 2G in game: A player on the designated team scores two goals in the same game.

Player 5G in series: A player on the designated team scores five goals across the entire series.

Player 3 pts  (g):  A player on the designated team scores three points in the same game.  (Points are the total of goals plus assists.)

Dman 2pts  (g): A defenseman on the designated team scores two points in the same game.  (Points are the total of goals plus assists.)

Player 10pts in series: A player on the designated team scores ten points across the entire series.  (Points are the total of goals plus assists.)

Penalties

5  Power Plays (g):  The designated team earns five power plays in the same game.

4  Penalty Kills (g): The designated team kills four penalties in the same game.

Bench penalty: The designated team is assessed a penalty as a team during any game in the series. Game reports may list this as a "TEAM" penalty or a "bench" penalty.

Non-minor penalty:  The designated team is assessed a penalty that is not a two-minute minor penalty. This can be assessed to a player or the team during any game in the series. (Other penalties include double-minors, majors, misconduct, and penalty shots.) The team that is penalized earns the Bingo square.

Player 6 PIM in gm: A player on the designated team accrues fifteen minutes or more in total penalties across the entire series.

Player 15 PIM in series: A player on the designated team accrues fifteen minutes or more in total penalties across the entire series.  (Penalties will have a set number of minutes attached to them -- two minutes for a minor, four for a double-minor, five for a major, ten for misconduct.)

Other Incidents

50  Hits (g):  The designated team is credited with fifty or more hits in the same game.

Goalie 30 saves (g): A goalie on the designated team records thirty or more saves in the same game.

Goalie SO/pt/pen:  A goalie on the designated team records any of the following in any game: a shutout, a goal, an assist, or a penalty of any kind.

Goalie 150 svs in series: The designated team has a goalie that records 150 saves or more across the entire series.

Feel free to send any questions to me at coach.pinza@gmail.com or via Instagram @misterpinza. 

I hope you can support our fund and enjoy a little extra entertainment alongside the football games, regardless of which team you root for (or against).

Donation receipt letters

I will send every player a letter for their donation next week. The amount listed in the letter will deduct the amount you've won from whatever you initially paid.  (If you paid $30 and won $5, the letter will show a $25 donation.)

Fantasy Hockey - Big Stick League Awards update

For the members of the Big Stick League on Yahoo! Fantasy Hockey. 

Write Down Your Wins

 From my personal journal on April 15, 2024:

If clouds of doubt blow into your mind, pushed by a cultivated atmosphere of doing more and churning through tasks the way a full-speed train chews up miles every minute for hours on end, your journal may well be the sunbeam that breaks through, spotlighting what you did finish, the progress you achieved, the relationships that are showing signs of exciting shifts.