Bingo Games – A Guide to Top Games to Play Online
In the Philippines, real money bingo games are some of the most popular leisure activities that people play online and in physical casinos. It’s a fun and social game that’s easy to learn and offers lucrative payouts. Thanks to its popularity, it’s even played in many social functions and fundraising activities, thus boosting its appeal among all social classes. Although it’s fun and easy, it’s still important that you review all variants and the rules in online bingo games.
Online Bingo – History of the Game
The modern game that we know as ‘online bingo’ dates back to 16th century Italy, with some tracing it to 1530. The game was based on an Italian lottery game called Il Gioco de Lotto d’ Italia. Soon, its popularity spread to France and other European countries and was soon called Le Lotto.
The earliest version of the bingo game also required the use of a ticket and the host randomly calls out numbers. Players will then wait for the numbers, mark these on the bingo cards, and wait for the winning combination. Also, the classic bingo game was similar to Tombola that was popular in 19th century Germany and was used for educational purposes. Today, bingo games are not just played in halls, casinos, and gatherings. You can now enjoy bingo games online. Instead of physical bingo chips, online bingo sites use virtual bingo chips and there’s a Random Number Generator (RNG) that picks the winning numbers.
How Do Bingo Games Work?
Just like lotteries, the popular bingo game also boasts a colorful history. Although its history is long, much of the rules remain the same. As mentioned, the primary objective in this game is to mark the numbers and when you match the winning pattern or combination, you collect the payout. It sounds easy to follow, right?
Well, it’s a brief description of how bingo games work. But gaming sites now offer different variants of the bingo game and they often differ in some rules. So, before you jump into the game and bet real money, it’s important to review the different types of games to play today. You can enjoy the traditional variant which you can enjoy in physical casinos or enjoy modern variants of the game which you play online. If you decide to play it online, you’ll need to register an account first and complete a deposit.
How to Play Online Bingo – A Quick Overview
If you’re busy and after convenience, you may want to consider online bingo. The general rules in this virtual game remain the same. Before you play, you need to sign up for an account and deposit funds. After setting up an account, you need to choose a specific bingo game variant that you want to play. You need to buy your bingo cards before you can start the round.
The bingo game starts when the initial set of numbers is announced. If these numbers are in your bingo cards, you need to mark or cross it off. In online bingo, operators use a smart system where the numbers are marked for you. It’s called an auto-daub system which ensures that your numbers are marked as they are called.
Online Bingo Rules
There are a few bingo game rules that you need to follow when playing online. And sometimes, these rules may change or vary depending on the variant that you’re playing. The general rules include paying for your bingo cards first, marking the numbers, and completing the patterns required by the game.
As mentioned, the majority of these bingo game rules depend on the variant you’re playing. For example, if you’re playing the 90-ball variant, you’ll find a ticket that features 15 numbers. As the name suggests, this type of variant will include a pool of 90 bingo balls. From this pool of numbers, the host will then pick one number at a time that will determine the winner for the round.
In online bingo games, you will find several tools that can help enhance your gaming experience. For example, you can use Auto Play, card sorting, and card highlighting features. With AutoPlay, you let the system complete the work for you including the marking of the cards and identifying if you have won a pattern. And the card sorting feature will arrange your cards based on the ones with a higher chance of winning. Its use is fun and convenient but it takes the excitement and thrill that comes with personally marking the virtual cards!
Types of Bingo Games
As mentioned, you’ll find several versions of bingo games to play. With these variants, you can easily choose what to play that catches your fancy or risk-level. However, the availability of a wide range of options can be confusing for beginners. If you’re still starting, you may want to check out the short description of the most popular variants of bingo games:
90 ball bingo
In many bingo sites, the 90 ball bingo version is the most popular variant to play. As the name suggests, there are 90 numbers in play. Before you play bingo, you’ll need to buy tickets first and each ticket features a 9×3 grid. The first nine numbers are on the first column, numbers 10 to 19 are on the second, and so on. Finally, the last column of the tickets shows the numbers from 81 to 90.
80 ball bingo
This is a new addition to the growing number of bingo games to play right now. Here, there are 80 bingo balls in play and the tickets will feature 16 numbers that are displayed in a 4×4 grid. In this online bingo variant, there are at least two ways on how you can win. You can win by completing a line, say a diagonal line, or by completing patterns in 80 ball bingo.
75 ball bingo
Similar to 90-ball, you also need to mark the cards as the numbers are called. In your 75 ball ticket, you will find five horizontal lines and five columns. And in each column, you will get the letter that’s part of the word ‘BINGO’. On the B column, you will find the numbers from 1 to 15. On the I column, you will get numbers from 16 to 30 and so on. The number at the center of the bingo game card is free or empty. This is by far the most popular online bingo variant that’s popular among Filipinos.
Other popular bingo games
Aside from the standard variants of online bingo games, there are also a few types that are interesting to play. For example, in many bingo sites, you will notice themed online bingo rooms. As a player, you will find slot machine-themed rooms like 30 ball bingo, Rainbow Riches bingo games, or the Emoji bingo games rooms where you will enjoy different types of emojis. And if you just search hard enough, you can even play bingo for free. In free bingo rooms, you can enter for free but you have the chance to collect lucrative payouts.
Conclusion – Why Play Bingo Games Online?
If you’re a regular casino player, there’s a big chance that you have explored several types of games to play. For easy rules and excitement, you have the slot machines and for some challenge, you can join the table games. Although these are extremely popular, bingo games are still highly recommended. Bingo games offer you a fun way to socialize, play using simple rules, and collect lucrative payouts. There’s no need to master complex rules or develop a strategy just to be successful.
In online bingo, it’s fine to just relax, socialize and chat with other players, and just go with the flow in marking numbers and matching patterns. You can even try free bingo for fun or if you want to master the rules before jumping into real play. And if you’re lucky when you play bingo, you’ll end up with a nice win and the bragging rights to having won a fun game!