The rules of bingo are really not that difficult to master. If you’ve reached adulthood and are still unsure of how to play bingo in its simplest form, another valid question would be to ask whether you’ve lived in a cave all your life – also play the Showman Slots.
Bingo is easy to play and is popular solely because it’s not at all complicated. People all over the planet have been playing it for the last 500 years, and its fans range from children in schools learning languages, right up to adults of all ages using online casinos.
What are the rules of bingo?
The traditional rules of bingo in its simplest form are as follows. Each player must purchase a scorecard with a selection of random numbers that they have not chosen. The bingo-caller then calls out the numbers which are drawn by an RNG (random number generator). This ensures fair play in the game, guaranteeing that everyone is playing on a level playing field.
As the numbers are called out, the players cross them off from their scorecards. The first person to cross off all their numbers from the scorecard is the winner. That person shouts “bingo!”, and collects the prize.
Different rules for different forms of bingo
Depending on which variation of bingo you’re playing will determine a number of different aspects of the game. This is where bingo starts going in different directions.
Some of the most common variations found online are 90-ball, 80-ball, 75-ball, or 30-ball bingo, and although similar in aim, each produces different ways in which you can win the game.
Firstly, 90-ball bingo is generally considered as the British version of bingo, whereas 75-ball bingo is the American version. 80-ball bingo was invented for the online casino format and 30-ball just offers the chance to play a short game.
Starting with 90-ball bingo, the scorecard contains 24 numbers on a 5×5 grid. However, its online cousin 80-ball bingo is played on a grid of 4×4 with a different colour for each vertical line.
What’s different about 80-ball bingo, apart from the fact that there are ten fewer numbers, is that you don’t just need to get a line to win. With 80-ball bingo, the emphasis is on making patterns or getting a full-house. Sometimes lines can be completed diagonally or vertically as well as horizontally, which boosts your chances of winning.
In 75-ball bingo, the cards all have 25 squares, laid out in a 5×5 grid. Unlike 90-ball bingo, you don’t complete lines or need a full scorecard to win, it’s more like 80-ball bingo in that you need to make patterns.
Finally, 30-ball bingo is the short version of the game, making it ideal for players who don’t have a lot of time. The scorecards contain nine squares laid out in a 3×3 format. Because there are so few numbers, 30-ball bingo is all over pretty quickly.
Bingo is flexible!
When you sign up to online casinos, the choice is wide and you can have fun browsing which style suits you best. What’s more, it’s great fun trying out all the different variations until you find your speciality!