How Does Online Bingo Work? How To Play Online Bingo

You can now enjoy the excitement of a trip to the bingo hall without needing to leave the comfort of your own home. This guide teaches you how to play online bingo like a pro. We will explain online bingo rules, the different bingo varieties that you can play, the jackpots that are up for grabs and the best tips for success. Read on to learn how to play online bingo.

How Does Online Bingo Work?

Online bingo seeks to replicate the fun of the bingo hall on your mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. You can play for a 'full house' at the best bingo sites in the UK by signing up for an account with one of the sites listed on this page. The registration process is quick and simple, and you will receive a welcome bonus too. For example, if you spend £10 on bingo at Buzz Bingo, you could get a £30 bingo bonus.

You can then choose from a variety of different online bingo games. They include 90 ball bingo, 80 ball bingo, 75 ball bingo and 30 ball bingo, also known as speed bingo. You will start out by filling in a bingo card with your favourite numbers, or you can ask the site to provide you with a randomly selected group of numbers. Numbers will be called out, just like a bingo hall, but it is all powered by a Random Number Generator (RNG).

An online bingo card will look just like a traditional paper card. (Credit: Alamy)

RNG software is also used to power casino slots and online table games at online casinos. It is programmed to deliver the same results you would find at a real bingo hall. The software at legal online bingo sites is regularly tested by the Gambling Commission of Great Britain to ensure the results are fair and random. If you get a full house, you win, and the winnings will be credited to your account. You can withdraw the funds or keep playing more games.

The best online bingo sites bring a social element to the games. They essentially mix an online bingo game with a chat room, allowing you to communicate with fellow players and bond over your shared love of bingo. You can play with friends from the real world and chat to them, or make new friends while playing bingo online.

Online Bingo Rules

The next stage of our guide teaches you how to play bingo online. The rules are very simple. There are several different varieties, but the goal is always the same: to win prizes by marking off lines, patterns or a full house (all the numbers on your card).

At the start of the game, you will be presented with a card. If you are playing 75 ball bingo, it will be a five x five grid with an empty square in the middle. An 80 ball bingo grid has 16 numbers arranged in a square, while 90 ball bingo has 15 number squares over three rows.

You can choose your own numbers (from 1-75 if you are playing 75 ball bingo, for instance) and type them into each square manually, or the computer can choose random numbers to fill your card.

If you are playing bingo in person, you will get a card with a fixed set of numbers. A caller will draw balls randomly, each with an associated number, and read them out. The concept is the same when playing bingo online, but RNG software draws the numbers instead.

If a number pops up that is on your scorecard, you can mark off the square. If you mark off a line, two lines or a set pattern, you will win a prize. If you mark off every square on your ticket (a full house), you will land an even bigger prize. The game continues until one player or several players complete the winning bingo pattern. The funds will be credited to your account if you succeed.

A typical game lasts around 10 minutes. You can play as many games as you like. Some of the best sites for online bingo offer loyalty and VIP programmes, so you will be rewarded with free credit and other perks for playing bingo games.

Different Types of Online Bingo - Online Bingo Varieties

Leading software development studios, such as Playtech, IGT and Dragonfish create a wide array of fun online bingo games. You can choose from different varieties when playing bingo online:

• 75 Ball Bingo | This is one of the most common ways to play bingo online. When you learn to play bingo online, you will probably play this format. You receive a ticket with 24 squares, and you can fill it with numbers between 1 and 75. The game you play will specify what constitutes a winning pattern and what the payout for each pattern will be before you start. It can be anything from a double line, an X and a blackout to a gimmicky pattern like an aeroplane.
• 80 Ball Bingo | This version is a little quicker than the classic 90 ball variant. Winning patterns vary from one site to the next, but it is very similar to 75 ball bingo.
• 90 Ball Bingo | 90 ball bingo is another highly popular variant. There are 15 number squares over three rows when you play 90 ball bingo online. You can often play in a social chat room, allowing you to talk to the other players while the action takes place.
• 30 Ball Bingo | This is a very quick and simple way to play bingo online. It is also known as speed bingo. A ticket has just nine squares, so it works well on a mobile or a tablet.

Online Bingo Jackpots

You will find a wide range of different jackpots at the leading online bingo sites. They have games to suit all budgets.

The size of the jackpot is normally determined by the cost of a ticket to enter. The money is pooled and then divided among the winning players after the bingo site has taken a small cut as a fee for hosting.

You will find a bingo schedule featuring a list of games that are starting soon. You will see the cost of a ticket and the total jackpot displayed, along with the number of players signed up.

For example, if you visit Robin Hood Bingo, you will find games with different jackpots like £24, £50, £250 and £777.

If you head over to The Sun Bingo, you might find a Mystic Meg Bingo game that costs £0.75 per square with a jackpot of £3,663.26, or you can go into the Heart Room and buy tickets for 10p to 25p and vie for prizes of up to £80. There are also £10,000 Power House games, so you can win large prizes.

If you check out our reviews of the leading online bingo sites, you will find an option that suits your budget and your playing style.

There are several advantages to playing online bingo as opposed to visiting the bingo hall:

• It is a lot more convenient to play bingo online. You simply turn on your computer or pick up your phone and you can start playing instantly.
• It is often cheaper to play bingo online, because you do not need to pay for petrol to drive to the bingo hall or for public transport.
• You can enjoy far greater variety when you play bingo online. There are dozens of games starting every minute, covering a range of formats, themes and jackpots, so you will always find something you like.
• You receive casino bonuses, promotions and loyalty points when playing bingo online. That allows you to play more games and boosts your chances of earning an overall profit.
• The games run like clockwork. There are no mishaps and the RNG software cuts out the potential for human error, so you will always stand a fair chance of winning.

The only major advantage live bingo has over online bingo is the social aspect of it and the certain atmosphere. However, the advent of high-quality online bingo chat rooms has ensured that you can still enjoy companionship and camaraderie without having to leave home.

Tips On Winning Online Bingo

After learning how to play online bingo, you can start trying to win money. These tips can help:

• Check the number of players and the jackpot of each game. Try to choose games with relatively few players that still offer strong jackpots. If you have fewer opponents, your chances of success are heightened.
• Claim bonuses and take full advantage of loyalty programmes. The extra funds you receive will give you more chances of landing a winning ticket.
• Play free bingo before playing for real money to ensure you understand the rules.
• Only play at safe, trustworthy online bingo sites that are accredited by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

Bingo Lingo

The most well-known jargon or subject-specific language in bingo relates to the nicknames different numbers are given, plus the calls players shout when they win. In terms of online bingo, except for live dealer games, the drawing of numbers is done completely automatically so there’s no human bingo caller to shout phrases like ‘one little duck’ for the number two and ‘knock at the door’ for number four.

In virtual bingo, you will see phrases like ‘house’ or ‘bingo’ and ‘line’. If each number on your card is called, you will win with a house or ‘full house’, because your card is full – to get bingo means the same. A line is simply completing a line of numbers on your bingo card and will also win you’re a prize. In some bingo games, there are even prizes for two lines.

Conclusion

You now know how to play bingo online, so it is time for you to dive in, make some new friends and play a variety of games. Sign up for an account with one of the sites recommended on this page, claim your welcome bonus, try a few bingo varieties, make some new friends and enjoy yourself. Remember to calculate your chances of success by factoring in the jackpot, the cost of entry and the number of players in each game before taking part.