Bingo is one of the most popular forms of gambling, and it’s steadily growing in popularity online. If you’ve never played before, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. The fact is that Bingo combines a social element with a bit of luck and a lot of excitement. Together, these all make it one of the most popular forms of online gambling for all age groups.
Of course, when people talk about Bingo, they could be talking about any of the different game types that are out there. Depending on where you live and what sites you play at, you may have only heard of one or two types of Bingo. In reality, there are loads of different game types and rules. All this variety gives a lot more excitement to regular players, but it can be confusing if you’re new to the game.
At SlotsBang, we make it our mission to help new players learn about the game and get the most enjoyment out of playing online. If you’d like to learn more about Bingo, we have lots of guides that will help you to learn the rules and hopefully win more. In this guide, we’ll be explaining the different versions of Bingo that you’re likely to come across.
The most popular bingo games
The most popular types of Bingo are usually the ones you’re more likely to come across. Take a look below for the most common Bingo games and the rules of each game type. Each game is named after the number of balls that would be used to play the traditional version.
Traditionally, Bingo uses a Bingo machine that contains numbered balls. The balls are collected at random, and the number is read out by the caller. Most online Bingo games will use a random number generator rather than a Bingo machine, though some might still show the virtual balls being chosen.
90 Ball Bingo – This is the classic form of Bingo which you’ll probably already be familiar with if you live in the UK and have played Bingo before. 90 Ball Bingo is massively popular in the UK, so much so that it used to be you couldn’t play any other game type. These days, of course, all Bingo sites offer a good variety of different Bingo types to play.
90 Ball Bingo contains ninety numbers, from one to ninety. To play, you’ll need at least one Bingo card or ticket as they’re sometimes known. The cards contain a 3×9 grid with three rows and nine columns. Each row contains a total of five numbers and four spaces, which are all randomly allocated.
The first column of every 90 Ball Bingo card will only contain numbers from 1-9, the second column will have numbers from 10-19, the third will have numbers 20-29, and so on. This makes it easier to find your numbers to cross off when they’re called out.
You can win in three different ways when playing regular 90 Ball Bingo. First off, there’s a single line. This is a straight horizontal line of five numbers across your card. Then there’s the two-line. This is self-explanatory, you need two lines of ten numbers in total across your card. The two lines have to be on the same card. Finally, there’s the last prize which comes from the Full House. To win this, you’ll need to cross off every single one of your numbers.
75 Ball Bingo – 75 Ball Bingo is the most popular form of Bingo played in the US. It’s also highly popular in several European countries. There are a few different variations of this game, but for the most part, they all use the same Bingo card.
Players who want to take part will have to buy at least one card, or ticket and most sites will allow you to buy strips of three tickets. Buying more tickets will increase your odds of winning but can get expensive if you don’t win.
In 75 Ball Bingo, each Bingo ticket contains a 5×5 square grid. This will generally have 24 numbers and one free space in the middle. The letters B I N G O are usually found at the top of the ticket, with a different letter for each of the five columns. As with 90 Ball Bingo, each column contains a different set of numbers which makes it easier to find your number when it gets called out.
To win in this game mode, you can have single lines, two lines, and Full House. Some game types will also include different patterns for special prizes, so be sure to check the rules before you play. In 75 Ball Bingo, lines can be horizontal, diagonal and sometimes even vertical.
30 Ball Bingo – Sometimes known as Speed Bingo, this game type is perfect for when you don’t have a lot of time to play. Games are usually over within just a few minutes, and you can easily play loads of games in a short space of time.
30 Ball Bingo isn’t as common as the previous two game types, but most major sites will still offer it. Bingo cards here contain a simple 3×3 grid with nine numbers in total. To win, you’ll need to mark off all of the numbers on your card.
The game is very easy to play and is a great way to get some quick games in or fit Bingo into your busy schedule. The speed and simplicity of the game is making it one of the most popular game types you’ll find at major online Bingo sites.
80 Ball Bingo – 80 Ball Bingo is a new version of the game which was developed specifically for online play. It’s fairly similar to 75 Ball Bingo, and so it’s become very popular at sites which allow US players.
Bingo cards here feature a 4×4 grid, with sixteen numbers in total and no blank spaces. As with 90 Ball and 75 Ball, each column contains numbers from a specific range, making it easier to cross off your numbers.
You can win in 80 Ball Bingo in lots of different ways. Most games will award prizes to single lines and others will require you to cross off the corner numbers or specific patterns. Lines can be horizontal or vertical.
Less common types of bingo
The above game types are all games you’ll commonly find online. Most big Bingo sites offer multiple rooms for each of these games. If you prefer something a bit different, the games below all provide something a little unique. These are less common types of Bingo that aren’t offered by a lot of sites. If you do find them, you should give them a try as they can be a lot of fun!
Bonanza Bingo – In this game, numbers are pre-drawn before players collect their Bingo cards. Forty-three numbers in total are drawn before the game starts, letting you win as soon as you pick up your ticket. If there are no winners from these pre-drawn numbers, the game continues as normal until the Full House is won.
Bingo You Pick ‘Em – Rather than giving you a card which contains random numbers, You Pick ‘Em allows you to choose your own numbers. This is a great way to get your lucky numbers on your card and hopefully give yourself a better chance of winning the jackpot! As it shares a lot of similarity to lotteries and Keno, this game is quite popular online and can often be found at major sites.
Stallion Race – Up to fifteen players in a room can play this unique Bingo variant. Players will get a number from one to fifteen which they’ll need to match called out numbers in that section of their Bingo card. This isn’t commonly found at Bingo sites, but it’s a lot of fun to play.
Elimination Bingo – This basically works like regular Bingo but in reverse. It can be played with any number of balls. As each person crosses off all of their numbers, they’ll be eliminated. The winner is the last person with any numbers remaining on their Bingo card. This game type is a great way to make Bingo a little more interesting, and players can’t have an advantage by buying more Bingo tickets.
Alternative bingo rules
We’ve pretty much covered every type of Bingo you’re likely to come across online. That’s not the end of it though. There are also loads of different rules out there that can slightly change how you play these games. Whenever you’re playing Bingo online, it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve read the rules before you start buying tickets.
The following are all examples of different rules you might come across when playing Bingo:
Pattern Wins – Lines, two lines and Full House are the most common ways to win, but some games feature more interesting winning conditions. These can include different patterns such as a circle, a cross or the corners. Sometimes, Bingo tickets will have set patterns printed on them to show you which pattern you need to achieve to get a win.
Card Bingo – Bingo is traditionally played using numbered balls and a Bingo machine. Online, it’s normally played using RNG and virtual Bingo balls. Playing with cards is also possible, however. This can be a more interesting way to play if you enjoy table casino games. The game works pretty much the same as regular Bingo, but here, a 52 card deck is used. Players receive a set number of cards in their hand, usually five. To win, they’ll need to match all of their cards to the cards which are dealt.
Ticket Limits – In Bingo, you can increase your chances of winning simply by buying more Bingo tickets. For some players, this can be a little unfair as they may not have the funds to always buy multiple strips of tickets. A lot of Bingo sites have started providing rooms that cater to these players, setting a low limit on how many tickets can be bought. You can also sometimes find equal odds games where every player is given the same number of tickets to make the game fair.
Progressive Jackpots – While most Bingo games have a fixed price, a lot of sites offer progressive jackpots to lucky winners. These increase over time as more players buy Bingo tickets and will only be won when specific conditions are met. These jackpots can be won by landing a Full House or pattern within a set number of drawn numbers.
