Club Bing

Club Bing

Club Bing homepage
Developer(s)	Microsoft
Type	Online game
Website	http://www.clubbing.com

Screenshot of Live Search Club prior to the rebrand to Bing.

Club Bing (previously Live Search Club) is a group of online word games launched by Microsoft in April 2007. Players who complete or partially complete a game earn "tickets" (up to 500 per day^[1]) that may be exchanged for Microsoft products. The site has been credited with a significant increase in market share for the search engine Bing.^[2]

Club Bing has also opened up to allow users to send a percentage of tickets earned in a game to a charity or school of their choice. Many local charities, schools, and organizations are represented to users.

Bing

Main article: Bing (search engine)

While playing the games, players may request "hints" which consist of searches on the Bing search engine. Every time a player submits an answer (correct or incorrect) a search query is generated. The site has succeeded in helping increase the market share of Bing from 8.4% in May 2007 to 13.2% in June.^[3]

Games

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Banana Shuffle — A game in which players transform one word to another by changing one letter at a time. (2 Tickets per complete game, max 622 Tickets)
• Chicktionary — Players are given seven letters from which to form words. A multiplayer option was recently added. (20 Tickets per complete single-player game, max about 34,700)
• Clink — A phrase-matching game. (10 Tickets per complete game)
• Coffee Break — Game sampler consisting of short versions of Chicktionary, Crosswire, and Clink. (20 Tickets per complete three-round game, max about 3,300 Tickets)
• CrossWire — A game in which items on one side must be matched to corresponding items on the opposite side. (20 Tickets per complete game)
• Dingbats — Players solve a puzzle and may guess letters, similar to Hangman. (3 Tickets per complete game)
• Flexicon — A crossword-like game. (25 Tickets per complete game, max 63,500 Tickets)
• Quote a Pillar — A game in which players spell out famous quotes using the letters provided. (4 Tickets per complete game)
• Seekadoo — A word search game. (15 Tickets per complete game)
• Spelling Bee — Players are given seven letters from which to form words; similar to Chicktionary. (20 Tickets per complete game, max about 34,700)
• Taxi Wrangler — A time management game consisting of three rounds. (30 Tickets per complete game)
• Trivia Bound — A multiplayer trivia contest consisting of five rounds of questions. Players score points by inputting answers that rank the highest on a Bing search query.
• Word Slugger — Players are given seven letters from which to form words; similar to Chicktionary. (20 Tickets per complete game, max about 34,700)

Prizes

Tickets earned in Club Bing games can be exchanged for prizes.^[4] Each reward is delivered within 12 weeks from the date redemption request is fully processed, unless stated otherwise. Prizes must be earned by obtaining the required number of tickets. There is no option to purchase additional tickets. Tickets have no cash value. There is a limit of one item per household (based on account holder address) of each hardware and software product, and they can only be shipped in the United States.^[5] Microsoft does not charge users for the cost of shipping their prizes.^[6] Prizes are subject to change.

As part of Microsoft's Search and Give program, tickets earned in Club Bing can also be donated to schools, libraries, wildlife preserves, conservation initiatives, hospitals, museums, and charities.^[7]

See also

• Bing (search engine)
• Live Search SearchPerks!

References

1. ^ Club Bing Help
2. ^ http://www.seattlepi.com/business/323725_msftsearch14.html
3. ^ http://www.webpronews.com/insiderreports/2007/07/10/microsoft-buys-its-way-to-more-searches
4. ^ Club Bing - Prizes
5. ^ https://club.live.com/get_prizes.aspx
6. ^ http://club.live.com/Pages/about/about.aspx?tab=faq#OSTQ3
7. ^ Section 6: "How to Donate Tickets to Charity" http://www.clubbing.com/Pages/About/TermsAndConditions.aspx

External links

• Club Bing