Did you spot a dog on the subway? Catch a pretty sunset view out the window? Use a MetroCard machine? If so, you just checked off three squares on the MTA’s new subway bingo card. Running November 1st through November 30th, the sweepstakes aims to celebrate the landmarks and unique experiences found throughout the subway system by prompting riders to pay attention. If you get BINGO, you could win a prize from the MTA, but the real fun is in the hunt.
The bingo card was created with art by New York City artist Sarah Butler. “Riding the New York City subway is like traveling through time,” says the artist, “when I pay attention, echoes of the different eras of design and artistic collaboration will open up before me: tilework from 1904, Beaux-Arts arches from 1919, shiny chrome newsstands from the 1950s, globe lights from the 1980s, and soon-to-be-retired MetroCard machines from 1999. And all can be observed on the way to my dentist in Midtown.”
Illustrated squares that Butler created include typical subway sights such as a reader, a subway ad, an escalator, or a wooden bench, while other squares feature experiences or items that might be a little harder to spot such as an old headhouse, a globe entrance, or a vintage train. We bet you’d knock out quite a few squares on one of Untapped New York’s underground subway tours that take place in both Manhattan and Brooklyn!
Underground NYC Subway Tour
According to CBSNews however, not everyone is excited to play along. The news outlet quoted some riders who would rather see the MTA put out more safety improvements on the subway rather than a game.
While the goal of the game is to bring a little fun to your ride and inspire you to seek out those special subway moments, if you do get Bingo, you can enter to win a prize. Here’s what to do: Follow @MTAaway on Instagram, then whenever you spot something on a bingo square, snap a photo. Once you’ve completed a whole row, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, create one Instagram post containing all photos in the bingo, and tag @MTAaway. The bingo sweepstakes will run from November 1st through November 30th and winners will be notified via direct message on Instagram by the end of November.
You can pick up a free printed copy of the subway bingo card at the New York Transit Museum and its shops at 2 Broadway and Grand Central Terminal. For a digital copy, head to the MTA Away website, or scan a QR code displayed on digital screens throughout the transit system. Prizes include OMNY fare, New York Transit Museum memberships, and framed limited edition printed Subway Bingo cards.
Next, check out Top 10 Secrets of the Brooklyn Subway!
