Bingo is one of the oldest games around, and despite its undeniable popularity, there will still be many people who will be asking how to play bingo. So we have created a quick and easy guide that will walk you through the most popular bingo variants so that you can find your feet when playing anything from blackout bingo, to 90 ball bingo and 75 ball bingo.
Before we get into the details of showing you how to play bingo, we have to state that bingo is a game of chance. This means that there is no such thing as a guaranteed way to win bingo as you would have to have supernatural powers to be able to predict the outcome of the bingo balls.
So instead of telling you how to win on bingo, we are going to keep things simple so that you get a good idea of the basic bingo gameplay. This will enable you to take your first steps in the world of bingo with plenty of confidence, and who knows, you might even win big!
The basics of how to play bingo
Put simply, bingo is a game where you are given a bingo card that is filled with numbers, and it’s your job to try and get a certain amount of the numbers crossed off. How do you know when to cross of the numbers? You cross off a number when the ‘caller’ calls out the number. The bingo caller is given the task of selecting numbered bingo balls at random, and each ball will or won’t have a corresponding number on your bingo card.
Once you have crossed off all of the required numbers on your bingo card, then you will have won the bingo game. But it’s important to remember that you will be playing against other gamers who will also have their own bingo cards filled with different numbers that they cross off in correspondence to the caller’s announcements.
This is a fairly simplified explanation of how you can play bingo, and whilst there are plenty of bingo variants out there, the core ingredients remain the same of crossing the numbers off your bingo card after the caller has announced the number on each bingo ball that has been chosen at random.
So if bingo is so simple, what is it about the game that has proved to be so popular? The first thing to remember is that as bingo is a game of chance, then it’s proven to be endlessly fascinating as nobody can know how the results will pan out. Secondly, its random nature has meant that anybody from newcomers to experienced bingo players have an equal chance of getting lucky. And finally, we have to mention that there are plenty of different varieties of bingo that alter your chances of being lucky enough to win this classic game.
Some of the most popular bingo online game variants
Whilst the concept of bingo is undeniably simple, that hasn’t stopped people creating a huge variety of weird and wonderful bingo variants. So we have taken a quick look at the most common varieties of bingo that you can find on online bingo sites so that you know exactly what to expect.
How to play Blackout bingo
Blackout bingo is the most common variant that you will find on online bingo sites. It doesn’t matter how many numbers you have on your bingo card, as the core objective is the same; crossing off all of the numbers that are on your card. As soon as you get your bingo card, you will find that the numbers displayed won’t be in any sequence but you just need to keep up with the caller’s announcements and cross off the numbers as and when they come up.
So how do you win blackout bingo? Put simply, if you manage to cross off all of the numbers on your bingo card before the other competitors then you will win the jackpot bingo prize. But be aware of the fact that there are often prizes for other sequences formed by the crossing off of the numbers. You might be awarded for getting a row or even creating a diamond pattern with the crossed-off numbers. So be sure that you understand the rules of each bingo game before you get started.
How to play 90 ball bingo
There’s a good chance that you will see 90 ball bingo if you load up any decent online bingo site. To play this bingo variant, you will have a bingo card that will have three rows and nine columns. There will be five numbers in each row and four blank squares and you can get six separate bingo cards to make up a ‘strip’.
From here it’s your job to cross off the numbers to create anything from one line to two lines even have all of the numbers called on your card and then you will get the bingo jackpot. The amount that you win will vary according to the amount of players and bingo cards bought, but there will always be a minimum prize pool to ensure that there’s something worth winning.
How to play 75 ball bingo
75 ball bingo is much like 90 ball bingo, but you get a 5×5 grid with numbers to cross off. This is probably the most traditional bingo variant, but it still enjoys plenty of popularity and you should see it on the majority of online bingo sites.
The main thing to remember when playing 75 ball bingo is that there will be blank space in the middle of your card which can be used to create a winning pattern. Such patterns include a line where you create a down, diagonal or across line, an X-shape which is created by two diagonal lines, or even the highly sought-after blackout where you cross out all of the numbers on your card.
Other online bingo options
Most decent bingo sites will take great pleasure in showing off a vast amount of different bingo variants. As well as 90 ball and 75 ball variants, you will also often see kinds of bingo like 80 ball, 50 ball and even 40 ball bingo. All of which present you with the same challenge of trying to cross off numbers in order to try and form patterns or blackout your bingo card.
We have also seen many interesting bingo variants that feature some additional themes. From the Rainbow Riches bingo game that’s based on the popular slots game, to the TV-themed Coronation Street bingo and the Deal or No Deal Bingo, there’s certainly plenty of choice out there. But the core concept remains the same – being the first person to cross off all of the numbers to win the jackpot bingo prize.
How to play bingo if you are a newbie
So we have shown you that there are many different kinds of bingo games that you can play. But if you are new to bingo, what’s the best option for getting started with this classic game? Whilst it’s tempting to try and play the biggest bingo games like 90 ball bingo, it’s important to remember that the bigger the card, the harder it is to get a prize-winning sequence or get all of the numbers crossed off.
This is why we would recommend that newcomers to bingo start off small by playing bingo cards that have less numbers to cross off. Whilst the prize winnings might be a little less extravagant, it’s a good way to get started so that you can gradually build up the size of your bingo card so that you can ramp up your potential winnings as you get more experienced.
How to play bingo at an advanced level
Once you have made good start on your bingo playing, then you might want to take it up a level and try your hand at a 90 ball game of bingo. This kind of bingo variant can be tricky to get right, but if you hang in there long enough, then there’s a good chance that your lucky numbers will eventually come up.
Whilst there is little doubt that bingo is a game of chance, you can also try some bingo strategies like the Tippett or Granville strategy that have helped many gamers think a little more clearer about how they play this classic game. Although these strategies might not be able to guarantee you a win every time, if you occasionally use these tactics along with some sensible money management systems, then you should be able to make a nice profit from your bingo gaming.
Which type of bingo game is best for you?
Picking your perfect bingo game is a matter of personal preference. If you are feeling confident about your gaming and have your eye on a big jackpot prize, then you will probably want to check out the 90 ball bingo games. But if you are just finding your feet in the world of bingo, keeping it low-key with some games with 50 or 40 bingo balls might be a better idea.
We can’t forget the fact that bingo is undoubtedly a social game, and so you might find that you end up playing the bingo games that your friends enjoy. As a result of the fact that most bingo sites now have a free live chat feature, there’s proven to be nothing like gathering around a bingo game with friends and seeing which one of you has the most luck. Above all, bingo is meant to be fun, so whilst there’s no shortage of bingo variants out there, it’s the game that gives you the most enjoyment that should be your first pick.
Finding a bingo site that features the best choice of bingo games
If you are looking to play bingo online, then there’s a huge amount of websites that now include many great variants of this classic game. From legendary brands like Gala Casino to relative newcomers such as Betsson, it seems that everyone is jumping on the online bingo bandwagon. As such, you can pick and choose from the vast array bingo sites to find one that’s perfectly suited to your own gaming needs.
Obviously there’s more to picking a bingo brand than just finding one with the best-looking site, as you should look at everything from the site’s licensing to their customer service team to see how trustworthy they are in giving you a safe gaming environment. If this sounds a little intimidating, then you should check out our shortlist of the best online bingo sites so that you can find one who has been tested for your online safety.
Once you’ve found a safe and secure site, then it’s just a matter of picking a site with a good amount of bingo games, and then seeing how the games’ potential prize pool could help to make some nice profits on your gaming.
Concluding thoughts on how to play bingo over the long term
We’ve hopefully shown that bingo is a game that is remarkably simple, but has enough variation in it to keep you gaming for a long time to come. Whether you are playing 90 ball bingo or 40 ball bingo, it’s important to remember that bingo is above all a game of chance and no amount of skill or research is going to help you predict which ball number will be called next.
So make sure that you keep your bingo playing fun and you won’t mind the fact that bingo can be infuriating difficult to win at. And whilst getting that big bingo win might prove tricky, remember that somebody has to win every now and then, so next time, it just might be you.
