Have you ever been to a Bingo Hall? Or have you ever played it at a charity event at church? If yes, you know how fun and easy it is. If you want to have some fun, win some money, participate in a charity, and help your health status, Bingo is the best option for you. Bingo is not only a fun game, but it also has so many other benefits. I will explain everything you need to know about this game. So, let’s BINGO!
What Is Bingo?
In the United States, it is a game of chance. In this game, you should match numbers printed in different arrangements on cards with the numbers the game host (caller) draws at random. When you find the selected numbers are arranged on your card in a row, you call out “Bingo!” to alert all participants to a winning card. Now, the game host (or an associate assisting the host) examines the card for verification of your win. You compete against other players to be the first to have a winning arrangement for the prize or jackpot. After you win, everyone should clear their number cards of the tiles and the caller begins a new round of play.
Different methods of play try to increase participation by creating excitement. Since its invention in 1929, modern bingo has evolved into multiple variations. There are nearly unlimited patterns that may be specified for play. Some games require only one number to be matched, while cover-all games award the jackpot for covering an entire card. In addition, there are games that award prizes to players for matching no numbers or achieving no pattern. Remember, the American(75-ball) and British(90-ball) Bingo are different. Because the tickets and the calling slightly differ between the two.
Where Does it Come From?
By 1530, there was an Italian game named lotto. In 18th-century a home version (called Tombola) was created in Naples and the cards, tokens, and the calling out of numbers were added to the game. In the nineteenth century, a game similar to this was widely played in Germany to teach children spelling, animal names, and multiplication tables. The French game Le Lotto appeared in 1778. It featured 27 squares in a layout of three rows and nine columns. Five squares in each row had numbers ranging from 1 through 90. This led to modern design.
Hugh J. Ward created and standardized the game at carnivals in and around Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania area in the early 1920s. He copyrighted it and published a rule book in 1933. Edwin Lowe further popularized the game. He took the game to New York where friends liked playing it. The Lowe-produced Bingo game had two versions, a 12-card set for $1.00 and a $2.00 set with 24 cards. By the 1940s Bingo games were available throughout the US. The origin of the name Bingo is unknown. The game may date to the middle 1920s.
Languages: English
Random Chance: Extremely high
Age range: Varies
Number of players: 1 to +20
Why BINGO?
If you think this game is only for burning your time or having fun, you need to reconsider. Bingo has no age and it is enjoyed both by youngsters and elderly people. The game is fun, dynamic, and doesn’t require any skills. But this is not all. This game is very flexible. This means that it can be modified according to the needs of the players. For example, teachers can use Sight Words Bingo. In this version, the numbers in the traditional Bingo game are replaced with words. This motivates the child to read the sight words so they can play (and win!) the game. Children love playing this Bingo, and it is a great way to provide repetition opportunities in a large group setting. In addition, question bingo can be used for children with the purpose of teaching. The bingo squares contain the answers to the questions that the teacher calls out.
Moreover, bingo is an awesome tool for special education. In children with autism, cognitive impairments, or speech disorders, responding to who, what, where, when, and why questions can be extremely challenging. Practicing answering questions using these fun bingo games will be very helpful. Using visuals, multiple examples, and structure allows students to learn this skill successfully without feeling pressure. On the other hand, bingo can help the elderly a lot. Because it has cognitive and social benefits.
Bingo involves concentration and listening skills. Hence, players’ cognitive abilities are sharpened. The game requires alertness to hear the numbers, words, poker cards, etc, and remember that information to transfer it to the cards they are playing. Therefore, it improves memory. Researchers at the University of Southampton found that regardless of age, bingo players had better results in tests of memory, speed, and cognitive function than those who do not play the game. Additionally, significant improvement in hand-eye coordination occurs with many seniors. Because the game requires speed and has repetitive nature. Even seniors with dementia issues have shown improvement. Using larger cards with larger and bolder types and high contrast in color improves thinking skills and memory among patients with dementia issues including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Similarly, a Lack of socialization negatively affects health and wellbeing, especially in older persons. Being social can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety while increasing physical health. Seniors participating in regular social activities tend to live longer and have healthier lives. Becoming part of a regular bingo group provides the opportunity to socialize with friends and even make some new ones. In fact, statics show that seniors maintaining social interaction have a much slower decline mentally and physically than those who do not.
How To Play Bingo
The object of the game is to be the first player to get a five in a row horizontally
Vertically
or diagonally
Set-Up: Each player should be given a scorecard. Bingo scorecards have 25 randomly numbered squares on them. If you want to play Bingo with kids, you can print blank Bingo scorecards from the internet and write in your own words, symbols, or pictures in the squares. There are printable bingo scorecards with pictures, numbers, words, and questions on the internet. Next, the game should be explained to all of the players. In standard Bingo, there are 75 different letter-number combinations. Each letter-number combination corresponds with a square on the scorecards. For instance, all of the numbers in the “B” column on the scorecard correspond with “B” letter-number combinations. If the caller chooses “B-9,” you would look for the “9” square under the “B” column. But, if you want to play a simpler Bingo with kids, you can use pictures or words instead of letter-number combinations.
If you are playing at Bingo Hall there will be a designated caller who will not play with everyone else. But, if you are playing with your friends at home, you should choose someone to be the caller. Remember, you can use more than 1 scorecard, as long as you can keep track of all the letters and numbers on the different cards. Playing with multiple scorecards increases your chances of winning. But it’s trickier since you have more squares to keep track of. Besides, when you play with multiple scorecards, it’s possible to win on more than one scorecard in the same game.
If you play at Bingo Hall, you should purchase the marker (to mark your numbers on the scorecard) or bring one with you to the hall. Note that some scorecards have built-in markers. But if you are playing home-bingo you will use bingo chips. Bingo chips are what you use to cover the squares on your scorecards. Any small objects will work as Bingo chips, as long as they can fit inside the squares on the scorecards. Hence, you can use poker chips, coins, or even small pieces of paper as Bingo chips.
Now, place a chip in the center of your scorecard- FREE square. The free space means everyone starts with 1 chip over that area.
In the hall, all the bingo balls are placed in the cradle.
Then caller mixes the balls and draws one at random and calls out the letter and number on the ball. Each player then marks the called letter on their scorecard if it is present. The caller sets the drawn ball aside to mark it
If the player has five in a row, they call out Bingo. They read back their letters and numbers to the caller to confirm a correct win. If they are correct then the player wins. If they are not, or no one called out bingo, the caller draws another ball, and the process repeats until there is a winner. On the other hand, while you are playing at home, you should give the caller the letters and numbers they will call out in the game. The letters and numbers may be written down on small pieces of paper and then folded up. Or you can use actual Bingo balls that have letters and numbers on them. The balls need to correspond with the letters and numbers on the scorecards.
Then, put the pieces of paper or Bingo balls in a bucket, bowl, or Bingo spinner so the caller can choose them at random. If you play Bingo with kids and the scorecards have pictures or words on them, you should give the caller corresponding pictures or words to choose from. The process of playing at home is just like when you play at Bingo Hall. Every time caller calls out one letter- number, you check your scorecard. If you have them, you put your chip on the corresponding square. You continue playing until the first person has 5 chips in a row on their scorecard. When someone shouts bingo, the round is finished. Everyone should clear their scorecards, the caller should mix all letter-number (or pictures, etc.), and the next round may be started. Another popular way to play is called the blackout. This is when the object of the game is for the players to completely fill their scorecard with marks instead of just getting five in a row.
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Different Versions of Bingo
Like most gambling games, bingo games come in different versions. Let us go over 11 versions of this game.
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Traditional American Bingo (75 Balls)
If you live in the United States, the bingo game you are most familiar with is traditional American bingo. A traditional American bingo card has 5 rows and 5 columns. The columns are labeled B – I – N – G – O. Each column has 5 numbers in it, from 1 through 75. The first column has 5 numbers from between 1 and 15, the second column has 5 numbers from between 16 and 30, and so on. When you get 5 numbers in a row – horizontally, vertically, or diagonally – you yell out BINGO and win the prize pool.
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UK Bingo or Housie (90 Balls)
This game is also a big deal in the United Kingdom. But instead of using 75 numbers, UK bingo has 90 numbers. Bingo cards in the UK are called “tickets”. Tickets have 27 spaces instead of 25. Also, the squares are arranged in 9 columns of 3 rows. In UK bingo, a row of numbers has 5 numbers and 4 blank spots, and a column of numbers has up to 3 numbers. The numbers in the first column are 1-10, and the numbers in the second column are 11 through 20, and so forth. In the UK version, they print these tickets in 6-ticket strips to get every number between 1 and 90 on the tickets. The winning combinations differ, too. You can win by getting all 4 corners, a horizontal line, 2 lines, or a full house.
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Online Bingo (80 Balls)
For online bingo, 80-ball was created. This bingo card arranges in a 4 X 4 grid and has 16 numbers total on it. When you play Bingo online, you see the first column has 4 numbers between 1 and 20, the second column has 4 numbers between 21 and 40, and so on. Your goal in online Bingo is to get a winning pattern. The patterns vary according to the game you play.
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Speed Bingo (30 Balls)
Similar to 80-ball bingo, speed bingo is more common online than in live bingo halls. Here, you only have 30 balls, so the game goes a lot faster. A bingo card in this version is arranged into a 3X3 grid, so there are a total of 9 numbers on the card. Traditionally, speed bingo only has a single winner per game. For this reason, the stakes are higher. (In many other bingo games, the prize sometimes gets split between multiple winners.)
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Blackout Bingo
This version of bingo is traditionally played as a variation of the traditional United States version of bingo. Instead of trying to get 5 in a row, your goal is to get all 25 spots on your bingo card filled before your opponents. A variation of blackout bingo is called the 4X4 block. In this variation, you’re trying to blackout any 4 X 4 block on the bingo card. Note that it doesn’t matter which 4X4 block you fill in. Usually, when people think of “different bingo games,” they mean different bingo patterns. Blackout bingo is the most common of this kind of variation.
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Fixed Jackpot Bingo
The type of jackpot also differs from bingo to bingo. A fixed jackpot bingo game is similar to a flat-top slot machine game. This means you have a jackpot of a specific amount that’s decided before you start playing the game.
For example:
In a traditional bingo hall, you buy a bingo ticket for $1. The prize for that game is $200, regardless of how many people are playing. This is a fixed jackpot bingo game.
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Progressive Jackpot Bingo
A progressive jackpot bingo game is similar to a progressive jackpot slot machine game. The word “progressive” refers to how the size of the jackpot grows, which is progressive. A better comparison is a Powerball lottery. The jackpot in a Powerball lottery rolls over from one week to the next until the lottery is won. Once you win the jackpot, the amount starts over at its traditional beginning prize amount. The winning conditions for a progressive jackpot bingo game are traditionally tougher than the winning conditions for a standard game. This means it’s rare to win a progressive jackpot in a bingo game just by getting 5 numbers in a row.
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Bingo Tournaments
A bingo tournament consists of a series of bingo games. Here, you get points for each game you win. In a tournament, you compete with other players, which is traditional with any kind of tournament. Actually, in most bingo games, you ARE competing with other players anyway. A bingo tournament is different because there are a series of bingo games in a row and the scoring of points. It’s not weird to find free or for-cash bingo tournaments on the internet. Sometimes the free bingo tournaments are played just for bragging rights, but, in other cases, you might have a cash prize. The free bingo tournaments are called freerolls.
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Bingo Slot Machines
At many tribal casinos in the United States, traditional slot machines aren’t allowed to play. In these casinos, the slot machines look and sound like traditional slot machines, but their results come from a single central random number generator that’s running ongoing bingo games in the background. If you look closely at such machines, you will find out that in addition to the spinning reels, there’s usually an electronic display of a bingo card. This is what determines your win. The symbols on the reels mirror what is happening with the bingo game.
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Online Casino Bingo
Many real money online casinos offer non-multiplayer bingo games. Although they look like multiplayer bingo games, they have more in common with keno or lottery games. For instance, one prominent casino/sportsbook offers a game called Amazonia Bingo – it has a theme of an Amazon Rainforest, but it also has bonus games where you look for wildlife. In these kinds of online casino bingo games, you do not compete with or interact with other players.
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Novelty Bingo Games
Many novelty bingo games are like this: you could watch a television show and mark off a space when something specific happens during the show. The different kinds of novelty bingo games available with this kind of theme are awesome. They are as wild as your imagination and sense of humor. All right, now that you know how to play bingo. I give you a list of Bingo apps so you can download and start having fun and do some practice:
Best Free Bingo Apps | ||||
Bingo App | android | ios | Free Bingo | Real-Money Bingo |
Bingo Blitz | yes | yes | yes | no |
Bingo Abradoodle | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Bingo Party | yes | yes | yes | no |
Bingo by Absolute Games | yes | yes | yes | no |
Bingo Pop | yes | yes | yes | no |
Bingo Bash | yes | yes | yes | no |
Although all these apps are free, some advanced levels need you to spend some money. All of the games in the list offer power-ups, daily rewards, and other regular promotions. OKAY! Now let’s see how you can make some money out of your BINGOs!
How to Play Bingo Online for Real Money
Either on your desktop or phone, the chance to win money playing bingo is just a couple of clicks away. In this section, I will talk about online bingo methods, rules, strategies, and tips to pick the right casino to play. Online bingo rules: online bingo games are usually located under the specialty games or the other games section at the casino sites.
The online bingo rules are as straightforward as they were in your childhood except, well, you were playing with your grandma on the porch instead of online. When playing online bingo games, you get a grid with random numbers. You can play one or more grids or cards at a time depending on your budget. The dealer or an automatic number generator will call a series of numbers and the system will match the ones you have on your grid. The dealer will call numbers until someone completes the established pattern and becomes the winner.
Understanding the pattern of the game you selected is important to know how to win at bingo. To win at bingo games for real money, you need to complete a specific pattern. Read the rules and understand the type of game you are playing.
The most common winning combinations are:
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Straight-line pattern
Complete a five square line on a grid to win. You can win by completing the line vertically horizontally or diagonally.
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X pattern
Make an x pattern on your grid and win online bingo with real money. Remember, because the x pattern is harder to complete, online casinos will have bigger jackpots available for players.
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Four corners pattern
Like the x pattern, winning at four corners is not as simple as the straight line. You will find better jackpots with this pattern and the goal is to hit the four numbers on each corner of your bingo card.
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Full bingo pattern
The full bingo is usually played on a three-by-three grid which means you need to hit the nine numbers to win. it’s also known as coverall blackout or full grid.
Online bingo games have both traditional formats and unique exciting themes. Each variation has different rules and payouts. So, make sure to review the rules and learn how to play each. Gain experience by testing the different bingo games.
Real money online bingo strategy and tips:
Winning at online bingo is mostly about good luck. But there are a few basic strategies you can put into place to give yourself a better shot. Follow these bingo tips and start to win real money.
- Play many bingo cards at the same time. You can buy multiple bingo cards and play them at the same time. It’s simple math the more grids you own the better the chances to win. because online bingo is automatic you don’t need to pay full attention to your grid like you would in a bingo hall where you might miss a call number. In an online game, the numbers will be automatically marked out. So
- Gain experience. Bingo is not a challenging game to understand. Yet, an experienced player might have a better chance than a newbie just by being familiar with the basic concepts. My advice is to play several times until you master the interface, rules, and the different games.
- The number of balls versus the number of calls. Each ball represents a call in a bingo game. At 75 ball bingo, there are 75 calls and the payout structure is typically lower. As the game progresses the player’s odds of winning increase. Because there are fewer calls left. On the other hand, 30 ball bingo is faster with higher payouts. But it’s also increasingly difficult to win. Because you have fewer calls. Sure, you can’t control your luck but the type of game and card patterns influence your odds of winning.
- Reduce the competition. Real money online bingo is fun because you can chat with people you don’t know while playing. But having too many people in the same room might play against you. Look for bingo rooms with fewer people and improve your chances of winning.
- Combine different games. Bingo games have different jackpots mainly depending on the number of calls per game. The harder the pattern to hit, the bigger the pot.
- Grind by playing easier patterns and aim for the biggest jackpots from time to time. Simple patterns might help build a bigger bankroll and a consistent winning habit.
- Take regular breaks. Long sessions might suck away the fun of playing online bingo. Play some hours, win real money, and then return the next day or later, ready to go again.
Remember the numbers are entirely random in any real money bingo game and cannot be cheated or beaten. Any advantage in the odds comes when selecting the type of game. All right, so far, you learned all you needed to BINGO! I close today’s topic by providing you with a list of online casinos where you can play bingo for real money.
Best Online Casinos to Play Bingo for Real Money | |||||
RANK | ONLINE CASINO | KEY INFO | BEST FOR | BONUS INFO | PayPal |
#1 | Wild Casino | -250% First Deposit Bonus
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Great bonus options and online bingo games. | $5,000 bonus | No |
#2 | Las Atlantis | -Brand new casino
-Excellent payout speeds -280% welcome bonus |
Premium user interfaces for playing real money bingo. | $14,000 bonus | No |
#3 | Super Slots | -Large selection of slots
-300% bonus up to $6,000 -variety of banking options |
Variety of banking options for playing bingo for real money. | $5,000 bonus | No |
#4 | BETUS Casino | -200% welcome Bonus
-great customer service -Caters to US customers |
Safe and long-running online casino with great game variety. | $6,000 bonus | No |
#5 | BetOnline | -3-6Hrs payout time
-300+ Betsoft slots -Many different offerings |
Trustworthy option for real money bingo in the USA. | $3,000 bonus | Yes |
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