Oscar Party Ideas: How to Play Oscar Bingo

When thinking of Oscar party ideas, don't forget the games. Your guests will be eager to find out the night's winners and losers, and you can increase their anticipation with a betting pool. But, if you are bored with the standard Oscar betting pool, you can try Oscar Bingo instead.

The first step to Oscar Bingo is the scorecard, and you can get printable scorecards straight from the Oscar Web site. However, you and your guests will have even more fun if you create your own Bingo cards.

Unless an actor or movie pulls off a tremendous upset, the best parts of the Oscar broadcast are the strange and humorous incidents that occasionally unfold. Some ideas include "Starlet trips over gown," "Z-Lister makes embarrassing appearance," "Winner tries to cut off the orchestra," "Actor brings date half his age" and so forth. Just write these ideas out at random in the boxes on the Bingo card, and leave a "FREE" space in the center of the card.

When party planning, prepare enough cards for all your guests. Including them in the invitation is an option, but keep extra ballots on hand for anyone who forgets theirs. Also schedule the party early. As the Oscar broadcast drives this game, you will want to have the dinner out of the way by the time the awards ceremony is on. Just settle around the television with dessert, drinks, your bingo cards and markers.

As for the markers, use M&Ms or other small candies. You can act as scorekeeper. Just keep track of what has happened so far, and a player will yell "BINGO!" when she creates a vertical, horizontal or diagonal pattern on her Oscar Bingo card. Go over, verify her card and give her a prize.

The prizes should be film-related and can include movie passes, theater gift cards or posters. In keeping with the playful spirit of the night, you could let the other guests who haven't won yet keep playing until everyone winds up with movie tickets.