Games played at bingo sites

Bingo Games

There are four main types of bingo games, though each type of game has many different variations and different ways to win. Sometimes the types of games vary from “game” to “game” whilst others vary depending on what site you play at or if you are playing at a live venue, it may vary from hall to hall.

90 ball bingo

In this version of bingo, the numbers 1 – 90 are used along with a bingo card that has three rows of five numbers. In most games, you play for a line, two lines, and a full house, so there are three games for each card. As the names suggest the first player to cross off all numbers on one line on any 90 ball bingo card wins a prize, as does the first player to cross off any two lines from the same game. The biggest prize is reserved for the player who manages to cross off all of their numbers first and so get a full house.

80 ball bingo

80 ball bingo is a more recent form of bingo. This game has been introduced as a compromise between the two more widely played versions of the game (75 and 90 ball bingo). 80 ball bingo is the best type of bingo game to play when you do not have enough time for a 90 ball bingo game but have more time than is needed for a 75 ball bingo game. Different patterns are also used to win this game. Some of the most popular winning patterns include all four corners and a cross that runs corner to corner.

75 ball bingo

The version of bingo that was mostly played in the USA and Canada but that has made its way across the ocean is 75 ball bingo. In this style of bingo game, you play on a card, which has five rows and five lines and is played using numbers between 1 – 75. The card has 25 spaces although the middle space is a free space. In some games, the word BINGO is written across the top of the columns. 75 ball bingo is sometimes referred to as pattern bingo as the numbers you need to get will depict a certain picture or pattern. There are an endless number of patterns as these depend on what the online bingo site wants to produce and you will find that special occasions will have patterns that fit the theme, i.e. Christmas trees and presents at Christmas time.

To win a game of 75 Ball Bingo you need to be the first person to correctly complete the pattern on your card and then call bingo, to let others know that you have a full house. This is why 75 Ball Bingo is sometimes called Pattern Bingo, as the pattern is the most important factor in the game. When playing at some sites, you will see an image of the pattern being played in the top right of the screen. This acts as a reminder as to what pattern is currently being played as there are so many patterns used in the game.

The most common ones are a letter, such as O or E, a cross or a line, which may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. There is such a huge variety of possibilities though that you could be looking for anything from shapes, numbers, letters or even pictures. Special occasions, such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, can also be celebrated by making the pattern needed to win a game relate to the occasion, so you could be playing for a heart on Valentine’s Day or a present for Christmas. This is great from a player’s point of view as the patterns vary from site to site so you will not get bored by seeing the same ones all the time.

If you are playing 75 Ball Bingo at a land based club you must pay extra attention to the game. As the patterns do change so much, and can be very random, you must be careful to call bingo as soon you have completed your pattern. The pattern is indicated on your card by shading, so it is not as if you have to remember the pattern – the bingo clubs are not quite that mean to you. If you are slow to realise this, and the caller then calls another name you will have lost your chance, so enjoy the atmosphere but be sure not to lose track of your goal, which is to win after all!

Speed bingo

When time really is of the essence some players turn to 30 ball bingo. This is played on a card which has 3 rows and 3 columns and is also known as Speed bingo, simply because as you only need to get nine numbers to win the game it is played and finished very quickly. Again, another new addition to online bingo this is growing in popularity as it is ideal for when players have very little time to play with. It is also great for players who have a low attention span, so they prefer to play several games of 30 ball bingo rather than just one game of 75 or 90 ball bingo.

30 Ball Bingo is the fastest version of the bingo game and one that, although not found on every site, is picking up in popularity all the time. Winning a game does not take long as it does on other varieties, such as 75 Ball and 90 Ball as only a maximum of 30 balls are called, and as you only need to get 9 numbers to win you can soon see it will be won sooner rather than later.

The game is played on a card, which has just nine squares, made up of three rows and three columns. Because of this, there is no prize for completing a line, and so the first person to win is the player who marks off all nine of their numbers first. Considering that the game is also known as speed bingo, it is safe to assume that the numbers are called quickly and the games do not last very long. These 30 ball bingo games are designed for players on the go!

Other games

You can usually find a selection of scratch card games on bingo sites. The two (bingo games and scratch games) traditionally attract the same type of player, many who don’t see playing either bingo or scratch cards as a form of gambling in the way they would poker for example. Scratch cards are very easy to play and offer an instant result, win or lose, so are ideal if a player wants to play something quick, fun and not so mentally demanding.

Many bingo sites also offer slots games as an option. These vary from the traditional ones players may be familiar with from their childhood to more complicated slots games with bonus features. Sites usually offer a variety of games to please different requirements, so players can choose between how many reels and pay lines they want to play with and how much they want to spend, and potentially win!

Also quite popular on online bingo sites are a selection of table games. These are games that you can play in a casino, (either land-based or online). Different bingo sites offer different games they think will best suit their players. The most common casino games found are blackjack and roulette, whilst others may offer video poker and keno amongst others. Again, these usually come with differing stakes to suit a variety of budgets and can make a nice change for you.

Whether you have some time between games, or maybe just want to try something different without having to sign up at another site, you should definitely see what other games your internet bingo site of choice has to offer – you could be pleasantly surprised!