NZ Housie

While the breathtaking mountains, landscapes and beaches in New Zealand lend themselves to a large amount of outdoor activities, venues offering NZ Housie are far from unpopulated.

NZ Housie Game

New Zealanders play NZ Housie games, which, like Housie games in Australia and the UK, is a 90-ball game.

The majority of Housie games are not played for fundraising, but more for entertainment. Food stands, or tuck-shops as they’re called, are a big part of the evening’s order, and the main event is the Super Housie bonus game.

Interestingly enough, Housie tickets in New Zealand do not have serial numbers as most other Bingo or Australian tickets have. They simply have a two-digit code on the backs of the tickets instead.

Housie games pay out about 90% in prizes, which covers the cost of tickets. Prizes for each game vary, and each game has three winners for lines won. The biggest prize is the Super Housie game prize.

Housie Halls in Auckland

Community groups and activities are very popular in New Zealand’s capital, so Housie halls in Auckland are leased out from community centres, as well as schools and churches.

Even though NZ Housie is played for cash prizes, it is still very much a community event. Many groups have Housie nights as functions, and some may donate proceeds left over from tickets to charities.

Some fun types of NZ Housie nights include the following:

  • During the Christmas season, free raffles and special seasonal food is part of the evening’s festivities, and NZ Housie halls are bedecked with decorations and a tree.
  • Some organisations give the Housie events a touch of glam, and have a buffet with champagne and snacks. Players wear cocktail or evening outfits, and the atmosphere is very smart indeed.
  • Smaller groups host special parties such as baby shower Housie, or hen night Housie. These games are Bingo with a twist, and prizes tend to be novelties and items especially suited to the occasion.

If you are in the land of Kiwis, head down to your nearest community or entertainment centre and enjoy a great game of NZ Housie!

Learn how Housie is played in Australia on the Aus Housie page.