'A beautiful game': A look at the unique job of a professional Bingo caller

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- On the second floor at Potawatomi Casino and Hotel, hundreds file in to test their luck in the casino's Bingo Hall.

"We're averaging right around 500 out of being able to sit 630," said Frank Fischer, director of bingo at the casino. "They're here three hours in advance, sometimes."

A popular pastime, Bingo made its return to the casino late in 2022 after having to be shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The casino is back to offering two sessions a day, five days a week, with plans to eventually offer sessions seven days a week.

"I think the appetite for Bingo's always going to be here," Fischer said. "Bingo's the entertainment and social game of gaming."

For Scott Keshena, he's been a part of that entertainment for nearly three decades, working as a professional bingo caller.

"I've called over a quarter million (games)," the 71-year-old Keshena said. "I still feel it. I still feel it. It's timing, rhythm, and I still feel like I call a good game."

Despite what some may think, the job of calling B-I-N-G-O isn't as simple as grabbing a ball, reading a number and moving onto the next. It takes dedication, attention to detail and a sense of pride in the work being done.

"You have to be ready. You have to be prepared," Keshena said. "You have to have a good attitude. The players deserve it and they demand it. You have to be accurate. You have to make a minimum of mistakes."

Over the years, Keshena has called several big games, his voice awarding millions of dollars over the years. The excitement of the players is matched by the caller.

"It feels good. There's no question about it," Keshena said. "You feel good."

A good feeling, one the veteran game-caller hopes to continue to provide at the Potawatomi bingo halls for years to come.

"My idol was Vin Scully, the great Dodger broadcaster," Keshena explained. "He broadcast Dodger baseball until he was 88. Maybe I'll call Bingo until I'm 88."

A man with a passion for his job. The 'calling' of a lifetime.

"The people, the bingo players, they love this beautiful game," Keshena said. "It really is a beautiful game."