Start playing online bingo games
If this is the first time you play online bingo games here is some information to help you get started, especially answering the question where to play bingo .
You can take a look at our online bingo software reviews. You can find out the difference between the different sites. Remember that the most important thing is to play with a software you feel comfortable with, so that you could play a long time! Of course if you are from the US, it is also important to pick a bingo site for Americans and allows them to make deposits.
Every bingo site offers a first deposit bonus. The meaning of that is that you receive a big bonus on your first deposit. The first deposit bonus can be as high as 100%-300%, depends on the site. You can also get a sign up bonus with some site. This is a non-deposit bonus which you receive just for signing up with the site. Some sites will give you a $5, $10, $15, $20 and up to $30 sign up free bingo bonus! The sign up bonus is a great way for you to try out the site, check if you enjoy the games and the software and the features it offers.
In all online bingo games you will have an online community of roomies, they can communicate with you using the chat. The people who operate the site are called CM’s or CL’s (chat masters/chat leaders), they can help you with any question you might have, and they will also lead the chat games on which you can win extra bonuses!
Most US online bingo sites will run a big promotion every few months to win a big prize, such as a special trip or even a car! Get to know about these specials using the website, to get as many entries as you can.
The bingo jackpots are various and changing, you can play for a $20 jackpot as well as $10,000. When you buy the bingo cards for each game you can find the information about the jackpot you play for. If you play for a big jackpot, always remember that the more cards you buy – the bigger are the chances for your to win the jackpot. Also be aware that the more people who play for one jackpot, your chances to win are smaller. That is why you would like to find a bingo hall that isn’t too crowded but has enough roomies in it to keep the place alive and joyful.
For all you newbie’s out there, Miss Bingo would be a great place to start playing at. Join the Fun!
Bingo games rules:
Bingo games are played in online bingo halls. Bingo rules and payouts and play variations vary from place to place. Bingo brochures detailing particular games, rules and payouts are usually available at each respective location. You can choose the online bingo hall you play at. To help you choose you can check out out online bingo jackpot and games reviews.
Basically, players buy cards with numbers on them in a 5 x 5 grid corresponding to the five letters in the word B-I-N-G-O. Numbers such as B-2 or 0-68 are then drawn at random (out of a possible 75 in American Bingo, and 90 in British and Australian Bingo) until one player completes a ‘Bingo’ pattern, such as a line with five numbers in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row on one of their cards and wins the prize. There are many possible patterns to play for. See here examples of bingo patterns (link opens new window).
A bingo Card contains 24 numbered spaces and one free space (blank), with which you play BINGO. The numbers are assigned at random on each card and are arranged in five columns of five numbers each by five rows (5 x 5 = 25 in total including the blank square).
The numbers in the B column are between 1 and 15, in the I column between 16 and 30, in the N column (containing four numbers and the free space) between 31 and 45, in the G column between 46 and 60, and in the O column between 61 and 75.
Players have thousands of unique (unduplicated) cards to choose from. Some manufacturers print unduplicated series of 6,000 cards. There are also series of 9,000 cards available. Hard cards and Flimsy cards have a series number printed on them. For example, card number 1252 will always have the same numbers in the same spaces.
In the U.K. Bingo is played mainly in large halls with cash prizes, the larger commercial concerns are linked up with other halls during one particular game in the evening and large cash sums can be won on these.
It is also played in nearly every seaside town in the U.K. on screens in front of the player who pulls a slide across to cover the number called, but, presumably because of our gambling laws, there are no cash prizes, just various items like cuddly toys.
The other times Bingo is played, again for prizes, not cash, is in a myriad of local halls or schools around the country, usually as a fund raiser for various concerns like an old people’s Day Centre. Here the prizes are donated by shopkeepers and businesses in the town and surrounding area and the atmosphere at these Bingo games is usually very relaxed and a fun evening out where everyone is welcome, even children.
The prizes vary for these games but on average a prize for any one line is worth about £1.00 – £2.50 (depending on who is organising the bingo evening), any 2 lines would be worth about £2 – £5 and a full house (all the numbers on a card) worth £5 – £10. They could be boxes of chocolates, bottles of wine, a grocery hamper, a voucher from a local butcher for meat or a cream tea for two at a local tea-shop or even 2 free passes to a swimming pool. Anything really.
U.K. (and Australian) bingo cards have three lines and nine columns (see picture above) and usually come in “Books”; single or multiple. A single book would contain ten 10 pages (10 cards) each of a different colour: Gold, Lime, Violet, Yellow, Pink, Grey, Orange, Blue, Red and White.
A multiple book has 6 single books. Each page in a multiple book has 6 cards of the same colour. The 6 cards on a page are joined with perforated edges and can be pulled apart. Experienced players will play all 6 books and inexperienced players or young children may only play 1 book, or even a single card.
As well as books, there are also single sheets of bingo cards sold with the 6 sections on (six cards) and these are called “Flyers”. Again you can buy just one section or 6 to suit your pocket or your experience. The flyers cost more per game than on the books but the prizes are usually worth a bit more.
In the large towns and cities Bingo is fairly “big business” and people play in deadly earnest, hoping to win that elusive jackpot. In small towns and villages it’s much more of a social occasion with amateur callers and a lot lighter atmosphere.
Australia uses the same bingo cards as in the U.K. In Sydney and Melbourne the callers are incredibly fast. In Perth they call a lot slower.
Bingo games number calling
The numbers are announced quickly by the Caller, so you must pay careful attention to the numbers that are called and mark them quickly and accurately on your card(s).
The caller keeps calling numbers until one or more players claim BINGO. Then the game stops and the numbers are verified. If there is a winner, the prize is awarded and a new bingo game begins with new cards. If there is more than one winner, the prize is split among all the winners.
In Las Vegas many variations including Letter X, Six Pack and Coverall Bingo are offered. Additionally, some places offer special progressive payouts as high as $10,000.
Online Bingo Jackpots and games
When playing online, your bingo cards are randomly selected for you. Most online games give you 3 or 4 cards. Other games let you take more.
Every online bingo game has a caller or a display board for the bingo numbers. The game pattern is also displayed. Some games automatically mark the numbers on your card for you.