How to Play Lingo

Accept your card. Each team is given a Lingo card, similar to a Bingo card, with 25 numbers on it. 7 numbers are automatically covered at the beginning of the round.

Guess the word. The first letter of a five-letter word is given. The first member of the team in control can guess and spell the word. A red square is placed around letters that are in the correct position in the word and a yellow square around letters that are in the word but not in the right place. If the contestant guesses wrong, the other team member takes a turn.

Continue play. The first team get 5 guesses. If they fail to guess the word during that time or if they don't come up with a word in the five seconds they are allowed, play passes to the other team and they are given a free letter--as long as it isn't the last letter of the word.

Draw Lingo balls. The team who correctly guesses the word, gets to draw two Lingo balls--one for each player. If a number is drawn it is covered on the Lingo card. If a red ball is drawn, it is a stopper and play passes to the other team. If Lingo is not made--getting 5 numbers in a row, either across, down or diagonally--play continues with the team who guessed the word.

Win the game by being the team with the most money when time runs out gets and get the chance to play Bonus Lingo.

Play the bonus game. In the bonus game the team has two minutes to guess as many words as they can. They are given two letters in the word to start and have to fill in the missing ones. They get a Lingo ball for every word they guess. When the round is over they then draw Lingo balls and try to get Lingo for a prize. If they draw it on the first number--which is possible because 12 spaces were marked off at the beginning--they would get a bonus prize.

Find Lingo online. You can play Lingo online.