The Rules of Bingo

As the popularity of Britain's favourite game continues to grow, increasing numbers of people are logging on to online bingo providers to discover for themselves what all the fuss is about. While the modern online game has a plethora of variations, including free bingo offers from pioneering sites such as costabingo.com, there are two basic traditional forms which are usually the first port of call for new players. Familiarisation with these two main modes garners an understanding of the game which prepares players for future diverse adventures amongst the many different kinds the modern game has to offer.



75 Ball Bingo



More common in the United States of America and Canada, the 75-ball game uses game cards on which are marked a selection of numbers set out in a grid, five rows deep by five columns long. On each individual card is printed a random selection of numbers ranging from 1-75, with the centre square is left blank or marked with an "X". The 75 numbers correspond to the 75 balls in play. The bingo caller (or Random Number Generator [RNG] in the online game) selects balls at random, usually with the aid of an electronic bingo picker or roll cage.



As each number is called the player must mark off the matching numbers on their game card, daubing off the numbers in lines or blocks. The lines can be arranged in various patterns depending on the particular game, making it essential to know the pattern of play before the game starts. The ultimate prize in bingo is known as a full house, in which all the numbers on the card are marked.



90 Ball Bingo



90-ball bingo follows a similar pattern to the 75-ball game, the main difference coming with the style and shape of the cards and that the numbers range from 1-90. The larger number-base makes it more difficult to mark off all the numbers, and generally 90-ball games take longer than 75-ball games. The cards themselves are arranged in 3x9 grids.



The aim of the game remains the same: to be the first player to mark off a line or a full house. Depending on which online bingo site you choose there may be prizes for first, second and third place, but just as in 75-ball bingo there can be as many variations on this theme as is possible to conceive.



80 Ball Bingo



A modern trend amongst online bingo providers is to furnish their players with the option of 80-ball bingo. While utilising the same mode of operation as its elder bingo brothers, 80-ball bingo is commonly held to be quicker version of the three, while also allowing for greater variations in pattern of play. Relatively new on the bingo scene, 80-ball bingo is a useful example of the manner in which the game of bingo seeks to constantly reinvent itself to appeal to a wider audience.