Bingo

Few words elicit the same thrill of excitement as “Bingo!” But it's more than a word — when playing online bingo it can become a very serious game. Thousands of bingo players worldwide tune in to their favorite online casinos every night to play the same special numbers and chat with other bingo lovers and friends. While some of us have been playing bingo at school or at family holidays for years, for others it may come as quite a surprise to learn that bingo in its current incarnation is actually over a hundred years old.

Bingo is no doubt a global phenomenon, and the popularity of online bingo is perhaps the best example of this game's enduring appeal. It should come as no surprise that certain cultures have their own variations of the game. All bingo games have a few things in common. First, players are given cards covered in random numbers. Second, balls are drawn and the players match the numbers on those balls to the numbers on their bingo cards. Third, combinations of numbers hit can earn a player a win (in a live game they would scream “Bingo!”). The size of the prize is determined by the specific combination hit as well as by the player's original bet.

There are two basic variations of bingo: the 75-ball game and the 90-ball game. The 75-ball game is the one that most Americans are familiar with. It is played with a 5x5 card of five columns of five numbers with each column representing a letter in the game's name (B-I-N-G-O). The 90-ball game is played on a 9x3 card. Each of the three lines contains five numbers for a total of 15 altogether, the remaining 12 spaces are blank. These blanks are dispersed randomly.

The 5x5 card used for 75-ball games of online bingo allows for a variety of winning combinations from the traditional 5-number line to four corners to X's to postage stamps and onward to more unusual and complex patterns. Alternately, the 9x3 card used for 90-ball bingo is only played for line combinations. Each online 90-ball game is typically played in three rounds with the first winner hitting one line, the second winner hitting two lines, and the third and final winner hitting all three lines (also known as a “full house”). In both games, you can usually only win once on one card and receive bigger prizes for more difficult combinations.

These days the rapid-fire randomization action of online bingo makes it hard to get your fix in just one game, so most players buy a book of bingo cards outright. It's a great way to play several games for one low price. Online bingo rooms are also amping up the excitement with special promotions. You can expect the same attractive sign-up bonuses offered at other casinos and poker rooms, plus bingo rooms also tend to offer raffles and other exciting prize promotions. Online bingo players also carry the reputation of being some of the most friendly and talkative casino members. If you don't feel like socializing then you can close your chat window, but if you enjoy the online company then you can watch each bingo game from the crowded comfort of the casino's lobby. Best of all, you'll never miss a bingo when you're playing online because the computer tracks each individual bingo card and automatically awards all wins as they occur!