Bingo is a lottery-like game of chance in which each player gets a card with numbers, and then the numbers are marked off as they’re drawn randomly, and the first player to mark off all numbers on a card wins and gets a prize. Bingo is in equal parts a lottery, a gambling game, and a social event. Most often played by women, online bingo is a way to have fun, talk to friends and new acquaintances, and perhaps walk away with some nice profit or even a jackpot!

Bingo Game rules

Bingo is an extremely high variance game as there are billions and billions of possible cards, though variance isn’t as high as in lottery, for example, as many more numbers are being drawn in bingo.

There are numerous versions of bingo, and the main difference is between the bingo game that is played in brick-and-mortar establishments in the UK and the US, though these days both can be played online as one of many versions in existence. Bingo that’s traditionally played in the UK is the 90 ball bingo, and in the US the 75 ball version is used.

A typical 90 ball bingo ticket, used in the UK, has nine columns and three rows, for 27 positions total, and each row contains five numbers and four blank spaces, for a total of 15 numbers. Since tickets are created as strips of six, this allows the player to cover all 90 numbers on these six strips and to mark off a number every time a number is called.

A typical 75 ball bingo ticket, used in the US, has five rows and five columns, for 25 positions total, and each row contains four numbers and one blank space. The middle position is called a Free position and is considered automatically filled. The player wins by completing a row, a column, or a diagonal.

The 30 ball bingo is often called Speed Bingo, and games will be very fast, sometimes even under one minute. A player will get a 3×3 card with 9 numbers. 80 ball bingo was created specifically to be played online, and a player will get a 4×4 card with 16 numbers. Roll On Bingo will continue with the draw even after one players wins a full house, until more players win the full house as well. Lucky Numbers Bingo will give you three lucky numbers, and if one or more are matched during a one line, two line or full house win, a lucky numbers jackpot is awarded. Pattern Bingo has a pattern on the card that must be completed to win the prize.

Every bingo version has its benefits and downsides, and it’s up to the player to try them all out and choose the favorite version. It’s important to always keep in mind what the game actually offers, is it a small win game that’s best played for fun or a game in which a big win or even a jackpot can be won.

How to play Bingo

Bingo is a game of random chance, similar to a lottery, so there is nothing a player can do during the draw that would affect the chance of winning. All the players are in the same situation. There are, however, strategies that can be applied before the game that can greatly increase the chances of winning. And while bingo itself is simple, these strategies are difficult to master.

The first and most important strategy is to buy more than one card. Players will usually buy enough cards to cover all the numbers that are being drawn out, such as buying six 15- number cards to cover all 90 numbers, so it’s guaranteed that they’ll mark off any number that is drawn. After that, whether the numbers will be drawn in such a way to produce a win on one of the cards, that is left to pure chance. It’s possible to buy even more cards for one game, which would increase the chance of winning and reduce the total win compared to the stake. Sometimes there are discounts for buying more cards, or there are card packages to buy.

The game changes a lot with the type of bingo you play. Some players may prefer lower variance bingo games that will issue a win often, while others prefer jackpot rooms in which a huge jackpot can be won from time to time. It all depends on what a player expects from playing bingo, and it would make most sense to play for jackpots if you’re already playing. Winning a jackpot is, of course, very rare, but the only way to win it is to play the version of bingo that gives players the chance of winning a jackpot. Same rule applies as with the lottery – you can’t win it unless you actually go out and buy a ticket.

In addition to these two strategies, since bingo is a game in which players are actually playing against each other, competing to be the first person to get a full house, it makes sense to play in a room with less players. This is achieved by joining a bingo room at odd hours, for example playing at night at a bingo room whose majority of customers come from the same time zone. This would ensure less players are competing for a prize that’s identical to the one that’s offered when the bingo room is full. With no shortage of online bingo rooms, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a less populated one.

There are certain strategies that explain how does the card have to look like and which numbers have to be on it, but these strategies never increase chances of winning. Bingo is a game of random chance and all numbers have the same probability of being drawn, and every draw is independent of the ones that came before. That means that all cards are created equal, and there are no cards better than the others.

Online bingo for real money

Bingo is often offered in online casinos, and dedicated bingo websites exists which offer nothing but bingo – and many versions of it. Usually the level of service with dedicated bingo operators is far better than what is found at casinos, though exceptions exist as some casinos take their bingo product very seriously and it rivals the ones in dedicated bingo rooms.

A key feature of all bingo rooms is chat, as this is a very important aspect of the entire bingo playing experience. Players talk to each other while the numbers are being drawn out, and usually celebrate the win together before starting another game. Sometimes new friendships will be formed and players will meet online to play bingo together, or alternatively real-life friends can meet online and play bingo.

While land-based bingo has seen decline in recent decades due to a negative reputation as a game for senior women, the migration of the game to an online medium saved it and gave it new life. Online bingo is a game for all women that enjoy the experience, and can be freely enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. This easy access to bingo was exactly what the game needed, and as a result, online bingo is growing every year.

Almost all online bingo rooms offer some sort of a welcome bonus for new players, and this is usually a small bonus that allows new players to double or triple their initial deposit, and play several games for the price of one. There are many bingo rooms to choose from, and players usually try a lot of them out, staying with the one where it’s most pleasant for them to play, and perhaps where there are loyalty bonuses for regular players.

Online bingo rooms took the basic game and brought it a step further, as now there are many different ways to play the game, such as arenas with a progressive jackpot to be won, bingo tournaments, even mini games for those who just want to play bingo alone.

This means players are spoiled for choice, as is usual in gaming, and can choose many different varieties of bingo to play. Most players will settle with one bingo version after trying most of them out, and it will be the one that suits their playing style as well as win expectations. In any case, it’s imperative to play bingo online as the land-based version is vastly inferior in pretty much everything. With no shortage of online bingo rooms these days, it’s easy to find the one in which you can play your favorite version of bingo, with a welcome bonus, and various retention offers or discounted card prices.

Every bingo operator will want to retain the players, and this is done by offering them various perks that keep them playing, such as free cards, discounted card prices, entry to jackpot rooms, etc. Operators get really creative with this, and each one will offer something unique that’s designed to attract and retain players. There’s really no shortage of choice when online bingo is considered.