Bingo has evolved significantly since the days of pensioners sat in town halls with a collection of bingo cards, with the birth of online casinos opening up the world of bingo to a whole new audience. A game of chance played with randomly drawn numbers, players look to match the numbers on their pre-determined 27-space cards with the numbers called.
The majority of versions of bingo conclude when the first person manages to match the numbers on their card with the numbers called out. Different games require only one number to be matched, while the traditional cover-all games award the jackpot for covering an entire card, and other games award prizes to players for matching no numbers or achieving no pattern.
The caller is in control of the game of bingo, calling out the numbers and validating winning tickets. The caller traditionally says “eyes down” to indicate the start of the game, going on to call out numbers as they are randomly selected, either by drawing counters from a bag, balls from a machine or from an electronic random number generator (RNG).
While the ultimate aim is to match all the numbers on your card, there are often prizes awarded for achieving other targets, including:
- Four Corners – matching the leftmost and rightmost numbers on the top and bottom lines of your card
- A Line – covering a horizontal line of five numbers on the ticket
- Two Lines – covering any two lines on the same card
- Full House – covering all fifteen numbers on the card
When all the numbers needed to win a prize have been marked off a player’s card, the player usually shouts “Bingo” in order to attract the caller’s attention and indicate they have a winning card. Different calls of “Line” or “House” are sometimes shouted depending on the prize.
The popularity of online bingo games has dramatically increased the number of games played online, and there has now been a whole new audience introduced to bingo and the game has experienced a huge boost in numbers over the past decade.
In the UK, binger callers traditionally use nicknames or rhyming slang, known as “bingo lingo”, to refer to every number between one and 90. While the invention of electronic random number generators (RNG) has seen this tradition become extinct in some venues, it’s still a staple part of a lot of bingo players’ experience.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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When do you win at bingo?
There are several ways to win: if you have completely ticked off one or more rows of numbers, and also if you have ticked off the whole card – the full house.
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Do I have to cross off the Bingo card myself?
At most casinos, you don’t have to! The software keeps track of everything for you so you never miss a Bingo. This is especially easy if you play with multiple cards. This way, the game always runs pretty smoothly and, thanks to the automated system, you can always stay calm, keeping control and overview of the game.
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What are deployment conditions?
The terms and conditions describe the minimum amount you can deposit into your gaming account. These wagering conditions also state the minimum amount required as a stake to play Bingo. There are also often conditions for the minimum and maximum amount of winnings you can cash out daily or at a time. These conditions vary from site to site. It is therefore wise to always double-check the terms and conditions. That way, you’ll know exactly what agreements apply at your favourite casino!
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How many rounds are there in online bingo?
There are no minimum or maximum number of rounds at bingo. Sometimes, however, some prizes may require you to play several rounds. You play along from the round in which you first entered and you stop whenever you want, provided of course you have enough credit in your account.
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What is a no deposit bonus?
A no deposit bonus is a bonus you often get as a new player when you first start playing Bingo at an online casino. For this bonus, unlike the deposit bonus, you do not have to put money into your account first. You can play immediately while limiting your risk.
You can spend the no deposit bonus not only at Bingo but often on other games as well. At some casinos and bingo providers, you can also win real money with the no deposit bonus. Sometimes the winnings you make with credit from a no-deposit bonus will be removed from your account after the game. Sometimes these winnings are released only after you have also played with real money. Again, the terms and conditions describe how the casino you play at deals with this.
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Can you win real money with online bingo?
Naturally, you can win real money! Bingo has very attractive prizes, such as a fixed jackpot or a progressive jackpot. Often there are also other jackpots that make games more fun and exciting, and give you more chances to win.
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Is bingo a game of chance?
According to the definition of the gambling commission, bingo is an “equal chance game”, which means that:
- it does not involve playing or staking against a bank
- it must be a game in which the chances are equally favourable, with equal win-probability for all tickets.
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Am I really playing against other players or against the computer?
That depends entirely on which game you play. Usually, online Bingo is a real-time game where you therefore play live against other players in the casino. If you are playing against a computer in Single Player Bingo, for example, this is always clearly indicated. With Live Bingo, you always play against real players anyway where you can even see the dealer at work through the camera and follow the other players live.
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How is the bingo prize money calculated?
The prize pool is usually calculated based on the number of players and the total stake during a game. With a progressive jackpot this is different as the winnings are a sum of different games or machines so the total fluctuates and is much higher than with regular Bingo. With Bingo this is no different although sometimes a fixed amount of prize money is used so that it is immediately clear to players in advance what they are playing for. At Bingo, a payout ratio of 3:2 for winnings usually applies.
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Can I play with a fixed card?
At Bingo, this is not possible. A Bingo card is created by the computer with a Random Number Generator (RNG) and after the game ends, the card expires and you can continue playing with a new card. At most casinos, you can buy cards in advance so you can continue playing comfortably and not have to buy a new card every time. This adds to the comfort of playing.
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What if my internet connection goes down while playing?
For playing bingo over the internet, a stable and fast internet connection is definitely a must. However, should a problem occur with your connection that gets you thrown out of the game, a policy will go into effect that is provided by each casino. The computer system determines the outcome of the game and should you lose the connection during a game of Bingo and you would have won, you will still get paid. Purchased cards that have not yet been played remain valid, of course. However, should a problem arise that does not resolve itself, you can always contact customer service and they will usually take care of it promptly.
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How do I know if a casino is trustworthy?
Many questions asked are about the reliability of online casinos and bingo sites. In a nutshell, all good casinos are licensed. Licences from Malta and Gibraltar, for example, are highly regarded. These guarantee that you as a player are protected by the law enforced in the respective country. In addition, casinos and bingo sites work with reliable and authority-approved and sealed RNG (Random Number Generator) systems. These ensure that the game is fair. For bingo, the RNG works in exactly the same way. The casino can thus in no way influence the outcomes of a game!
Always check the licence and systems being worked with beforehand to ensure a worry-free bingo experience!