Jake Harper
Chicken Shit Bingo has been a weekly tradition in Austin, Texas for over 20 years. The game takes place every Sunday at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon, located at 5434 Burnet Road, and typically runs from 4 pm to 8 pm. The premise of the game is simple: a chicken is placed in a cage with a floor that is a grid of numbers, and if the chicken relieves itself on a matching grid square, then the holder of the corresponding numbered ticket wins. The game is accompanied by live music, free hot dogs, and cheap beer, all of which contribute to the unique atmosphere of this beloved Austin pastime.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | The Little Longhorn Saloon, 5434 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas 78756 |
| Timing | Sundays from 4 pm-8 pm |
| Tickets | $2, $5, $10 |
| Winnings | $114, $300, $200 |
| Food and drinks | Free hot dogs, cold beers, mini bags of Doritos, White Claw, Lone Star beer |
| Music | Live old-school country music, honky-tonk, folk |
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What You'll Learn
Chicken Shit Bingo history
Chicken Shit Bingo has been a fixture in North Austin, Texas, for over two decades. It takes place every Sunday from 4 pm to 8 pm at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon, a 101-year-old building that has served as a restaurant, gas station, and bar. The game is simple: patrons buy randomly selected numbers, and then wait to see which number the chicken defecates on. If the number matches your ticket, you win a cash prize. The game typically consists of four rounds, with winnings ranging from $114 to $300 depending on the ticket price.
The origins of Chicken Shit Bingo at Ginny's are disputed. Some sources claim that it was conceived by Lone Star songwriter Dale Watson, while others attribute it to Ginny's late husband, Don Kalmbach. Either way, it quickly became an Austin phenomenon, drawing thousands of people from all walks of life to the Little Longhorn Saloon for an afternoon of fun, music, and camaraderie. The saloon itself is small, but the Chicken Shit Bingo area provides much-needed room for the crowds that gather each week.
In recent years, there has been some concern that Ginny's may not be able to keep up with the expanding businesses and increasing property values in the area. However, the new management has used Chicken Shit Bingo's acclaim to stake their claim to the neighborhood and persevere in the face of gentrification. As one source notes, small places like Ginny's tell historical and cultural stories that are worth preserving amidst the commercially driven changes in Austin.
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Rules of the game
Chicken Shit Bingo is a quirky game that has been a Sunday tradition at the Little Longhorn Saloon in North Austin for almost two decades. The game is simple: a chicken is placed onto a giant numbered bingo board, and the winner is whoever has the number on their ticket that the chicken poops on.
Chicken Shit Bingo usually takes place from 4 pm to 8 pm every Sunday. There are typically four rounds of bingo. The game can be played both inside and outside the saloon, depending on the weather. The bingo board is a wire-bound hutch structure with a wooden floor carved into a numbered grid. Players buy a random number and then hope that the chicken poops on that number. The chicken is fed during the game to encourage it to defecate. The crowd cheers and shouts whenever it seems like the chicken is about to defecate.
Tickets for the game cost $2 or $5, and winners can earn $114 or $300, respectively. The game is open to all ages, and children are often present. The saloon provides ice-cold drinks, free hot dogs, and live old-school country music.
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The venue
Chicken Shit Bingo takes place at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon, located at 5434 Burnet Road, about 10 minutes from downtown Austin, Texas. The building is described as a microcosm of pre-modern buildings, with its steeple and sign for a Futon Store being its most recognisable landmarks.
The saloon is a beloved Austin institution, drawing people from all over the world with its famous Chicken Shit Bingo, cheap beer, friendly atmosphere, and a taste of Texas culture. The venue has a long history, having served as a restaurant, gas station, and bar. Ginny Kalmbach, the previous owner, ran the bar for over 30 years, taking over in 1993 after working as a bartender since 1981. She retired in November 2013.
Chicken Shit Bingo has been taking place at the saloon for almost two decades, starting as an idea by Ginny's late husband, Don Kolmback, who called local music legend Dale Watson with the idea to use a chicken in a game at the bar. Dale played for the first Chicken Shit Bingo, and the game quickly became an Austin phenomenon.
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The crowd
The atmosphere is described as boisterous, with a mix of rodeo kings and queens, cowboy hat-clad revelers, and even dogs in the audience. The crowd spills out from the small dance floor and bar area of the Little Longhorn Saloon into the back parking lot, where the bingo game itself takes place. People bring their own lawn chairs and set them up among the crowd to get a good view of the action.
While some in the crowd may be there purely for the novelty and entertainment value of watching chickens relieve themselves on a bingo board, others take the competition seriously, eagerly awaiting the chance for their lucky number to be chosen. The crowd's energy adds to the excitement of the game, with people shouting and cheering as they anticipate the chicken's next move.
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Chicken Shit Bingo's future
Chicken Shit Bingo has been a fixture in North Austin, Texas, for over 20 years. It was first introduced in 2000 by music star Dale Watson and has since become an integral part of Austin culture. The game is simple: for four hours almost every Sunday, crowds gather at The Little Longhorn Saloon to watch chickens defecate on numbered squares. If the number on the square matches your ticket, you win.
However, the future of Chicken Shit Bingo is uncertain. The Little Longhorn Saloon, the original home of Chicken Shit Bingo, faced financial difficulties during the shutdown, and while the owner, Terry Gaona, tried to keep the saloon's spirit alive with a mobile bingo operation, the saloon's future remains uncertain.
Despite this, Chicken Shit Bingo remains a beloved Austin pastime. It is an excuse to spend a lazy Sunday drinking, eating free hot dogs, and listening to live old-school country music with like-minded people. The game has even inspired rival Chicken Shit Bingo games at other locations, such as C-Boys Heart & Soul on South Congress.
While some have jokingly suggested that Tortoise Shit Bingo is the sport of the future, Chicken Shit Bingo continues to be a popular attraction in Austin, with people gathering week after week to participate in this quirky and unusual game.
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Frequently asked questions
You can play Chicken Shit Bingo at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon, located at 5434 Burnet Road.
Chicken Shit Bingo takes place every Sunday from 4 pm to 8 pm.
Tickets cost $2 or $5, with winnings of $114 and $300, respectively. However, one source mentions that a "donation" of $10 is required to play.
Chicken Shit Bingo involves placing a chicken onto a giant bingo board. The winner is determined by where the chicken defecates.
Chicken Shit Bingo is an outdoor activity, so the weather can be a factor. There is also music, food, and drinks available.
