How Do You Play Bingo?

Bingo rules are an easy and straightforward affair – no matter if you play offline or online. This is precisely why so many people flock to this game. With bingo, simplicity is key, and this reflects on the game’s massive success around the world. Despite the minimalist rules, we thought it’d be smart to take the time to review some of the basics and answer that pesky ‘How do you play bingo?’ question in case you’re a novice.

In the following page, we’ll go over the traditional components of a bingo game and address any possible differences between the online and land-based formats, in addition to taking a look at the regional game variants on boths sides of the Atlantic, as well as some hybrid offshoots. Not to leave out a bit of a throwback, we’ll give you a clear idea of how bingo halls used to – and still do – operate.

Bingo Balls and Tickets: The Basic Rules

The basic rule of bingo is to mark down the called numbers on your ticket or tickets, in search of being the first to form a required pattern. This rule stays the same whether you play online or in a land-based bingo venue. Before the digital age, bingo players would sit through rounds of ball-drawing and number-calling, typically done by a designated caller. Apart from calling out the numbers that fall, a caller’s job is to also validate players’ tickets. The players, on the other hand, must stay on top of their game as the numbers are being called and mark appropriately. If a number on your ticket gets called, you mark it – back in the day with a stamp or a marker. If you succeed in completing the required pattern, you yell out ‘Bingo’, followed by a quick verification by the caller.

The bingo rules online are pretty much the same – just that, as one would expect, some aspects have undergone automisation. For instance, your numbers will be marked off automatically and the win will be logged instantly, without any additional verification step needed as all is done by computer. The social aspect of the game isn’t lost online, either. Chat functionalities enable an interactive environment, which players take full advantage. Switching between different bingo games is also an instant affair, and on some sites you can also play in several rooms at once, which is great if you’re after a boosted game experience. You can also purchase lots of tickets at the same time, giving you a higher chance to bag that coveted prize.

The Online Bingo Layout

There’s no crazy ins and outs to online bingo – it’s a simple game that retains its uncomplicated nature also in the online format. Once you pick the right place to play, all you need to do is register – and don’t forget to claim a bonus if available. What happens next is you choose the room to play in and purchase tickets. You’ll typically see a large chat window next to your play tickets, as well as shortcuts to other bingo games or even other casino games – as these two sometimes tend to go hand in hand for reasons of popularity. Though there are several variants to get into, you’ll typically spot one of the layouts below, which go along with the bingo balls count in a given bingo game.

Regardless of which variant you go for, you don’t even need to worry about remembering the winning combinations! These are usually conveniently displayed in a top corner of the game window. The calling out occurs with each number, and the marking of matching bingo numbers occurs automatically – though you might also encounter variants where you click on the appropriate square to mark it yourself. Claiming Bingo is the same – it will either log your win automatically or you may need to click a button in some cases. A neat thing about playing online bingo is the availability of jackpot variants, which is something you’d rarely find otherwise.

Bingo Boards/Cards

A typical bingo board for the UK version of the game will always follow the pattern of a 9×3 grid. This comes out to a total of 27 squares. On the grid, each row contains nine numbers and four blank spaces, meaning there is a total of 15 numbers displayed on one ticket, with the rest being empty squares. The American bingo layout will follow a 5×5 setup of squares. Referred to as a board, card or ticket, this piece of paper (whether real or virtual) is the focal point of the game. On the US ticket, there are no blanks spaces and the box in the very centre of the grid is marked ‘Free’. This means there’s no number assigned to it and you can use it as a filler spot if you’re one square short of completing a pattern.

Bingo Numbers

The UK variant of contains 90 bingo balls, out of which random numbers will be called until someone wins. For you as a player that means keeping an eye on your ticket. But no worries there – the numbers are clearly marked, with each column containing three numbers. The first column will contain numbers from 1 to 9, the second will have 10-19, and so on. If you buy multiple tickets, you should aim for six strips, as this gives you the chance to mark something off each time a number is called.

Different Winning Combinations

Depending on the type of bingo game you’re playing, there are different requirements as to what pattern qualifies for a win. British bingo is quite conservative, with one horizontal line, two lines or full house. As the names suggest, a line in the UK bingo variant is a horizontal line of adjacent numbers, while two lines requires any two lines on the same ticket. Full house requires you to cover all 15 numbers on a ticket.

On the other hand, American bingo allows four corners or diagonal lines as a basic point of distinction from the UK standard. But that’s not all. Some games go even further and call for random patterns like numbers, letters, various symbols or even simple drawing-like outlines of everyday things! You’d be surprised at what you find; our favourites thus far have been beer mug, tent, and ferris wheel.

Get with the Lingo – Bingo Terminology

Back when land-based bingo was all the rage, UK bingo callers would get very creative with their job. After all, who just wants to hear numbers being called out, over and over, right? Reaching into regional rhyming trends, bingo numbers also started falling prey to the most rhyme-worthy calls or cultural references. These may differ depending on region, and it’s also true that not all numbers get a cool nickname. Below are some of the typical examples of bingo terminology – could you have figured them out without knowing which number they represent?

Tips for Online Bingo

No matter if you’re a newbie or a seasoned player, our advice is to always stay on top of the bingo rules and read any small print that may be involved. This is not only relevant in the case of learning how to play bingo alltogether, but also with real money online casinos in general. Gambling operators set their rules and regulations individually, and the last thing you want to do is have a precarious situation on your hands because you didn’t read through the bonus conditions properly. To refresh yourself on the basics of bingo and its variants, check out our into to bingo and the best bingo sites!