Bingo: One of the most entertaining games to play

Bingo is one of the worldwide success stories of the last decade. In the USA and the UK, it was hugely popular during the mid-20th century but 50 years later participation numbers were in decline. Land-based casinos were closing weekly and as the customer base grew older, attendance continued to fall.

The internet was responsible, in part, for the resurgence of bingo. Younger players were attracted to the game and as a result even the number of physical bingo halls began to rise. The game has been modernised and made more attractive to a new generation of players that treat bingo night as a social event to attend with friends.

The basic premise of bingo is that it is a game of luck requiring an element of quick thinking and alertness. Players receive a game card (or several) containing a grid of numbers. The ‘caller’ randomly selects physical bingo balls from a tumbler and calls them out. As numbers on game cards are read out, players must check off these numbers with daubers (oversized felt-tipped pens specifically made for the purpose).

Depending on the variation of bingo being played, winners are the first to have a completed line, followed by multiple lines and finally, a full house (a completely daubed game card). The adrenaline for players ramps up as their cards continue to fill up and they get closer to declaring themselves a winner—calling “line” or “house” in front of the room of other players.

As the game expanded from physical bingo venues to the digital domain where fewer limitations exist, many variations of the game were developed:

• 30 Ball

A quick-fire condensed version of the game with only 30 balls played on a 3×3 card.

 

• 75 Ball

This is perhaps the most popular version played in the USA. 75 ball bingo is played on a 5×5 card with a ‘free’ centre square. This makes it easier for players to complete lines that run through the free square, so a winner of the initial ‘line’ prize is usually found quickly.

• 80 Ball

Sometimes referred to as ‘Shutter Bingo’, it is played on a 4×4 card where winners are the first to complete predetermined patterns on the game cards. These can range from corners to vertical lines to centre squares.

• 90 Ball

Despite the large number of balls, 90 ball bingo is played on a smaller 3×5 card. The winner is the first to achieve a full house and the runners-up, one or two complete lines. This is a popular variety in the UK.

• 5 Line Bingo

Also known as Swedish bingo, 5-line bingo is similar to the 75 ball variant. Each column on the card is represented by a respective initial from the word B-I-N-G-O. The first/‘B’ column contains numbers between 1-15, the second/‘I’ column, 16 -30 and so on.

Internet variants of the game allow players to play with dozens of game cards at once as they can set the software to autocomplete their cards—making sure they never miss a win. They can see the called numbers being checked off in real-time with cards closest to a win being automatically shuffled to the top.

 

Along with exciting graphics and sound design incorporated by online bingo providers, the varieties keep the game interesting for players. Some games take a few short minutes to find a winner while others take longer as the tension mounts. The popularity of online bingo has driven large amounts of investment into the market and with that has come innovation.

 

The international nature of the internet means games can be synchronised to have hundreds of players simultaneously pursuing the same jackpot—and with more players buying tickets, prize pools can reach dizzying figures. John Orchard of the UK reportedly turned a 30p bingo card purchase into a £5.9 million win.

The social aspect of friends meeting up to attend bingo halls has not been lost when players decide to use internet bingo sites. Many will chat to others in the accompanying chat rooms while playing and friends are often made this way.

The bingo caller also has his part to play in keeping the game entertaining. Regionally calls will vary but amusing snappy anecdotes are attached to the numbers as they are called. “Two little ducks…22!”. Callers will also have some of their own spins on the nicknames, sometimes making pop culture references, to coax some giggles from the players.

Bingo now reportedly boasts over 100 million players onlineand many more in bingo halls worldwide. Smartphones and the rise of the app has put the ability for every adult to participate in the palm of their hand.

Regular bingo players also display different behavioural patterns to traditional casino gaming gamblers. The majority of players are, in fact, women and the social and entertainment element of the game takes priority for many of them—while competitiveness takes a back seat.

The excitement of bingo is addictive. It is an easy game to learn but some say there are tactics you can pick up as you become more adept. But for novices and seasoned bingo veterans alike, it’s a great way to pass the time and maybe win some money at the same time.