Bingo is a game that’s been popular for generations now, and thanks to the move to online play that popularity is still going as strong as ever. But while many of us are familiar with at least the basic concept and gameplay there’s plenty still to learn about this classic game.
So, whether you’re looking to try out a game of classic UK 90-ball or perhaps some Deal or No Deal Bingo, read on to find out if you know these five things about the game of Bingo.
1. The difference between US and UK Bingo
Do you know how different a game of Bingo can look depending on where you’re playing it? With the rise of online play, you can now try out a much wider variety of Bingo games than ever before, with plenty of differences in their rules and formats.
But one of the biggest divides when it comes to Bingo is the split between the US and UK Bingo formats, otherwise known as 75-ball and 90-ball. The most obvious distinction between the two is their ball count, with the UK variety favouring a larger mix of numbers.
The differences don’t stop there, though, as the layout of a Bingo card looks dramatically different between the two. In the US you’ll find the 5×5 grid that many players around the world recognise, while in the UK the card has a longer shape with a 3×9 grid.
2. Where did Bingo first get its start?
Given the name Bingo, you can be forgiven for thinking that the game was an entirely American invention. But the game of Bingo can actually trace its roots far further back than you might expect.
The oldest ancestor to the modern Bingo game is generally agreed to be Il Gioco Del Lotto d’Italia, a lotto which rose to prominent in 16th century Italy. From there it made its way to France, then the UK and across the Atlantic, changing along the route.
3. The different winning combinations
How you win a game of Bingo varies depending on which variety you’re playing, of course.Being able to mark off every number on a Bingo card is the ultimate goal of a game, but that’s not the only way to win.
In some games, players are awarded a payout for completing individual lines, marking off all four corner numbers, or even alternative patterns across the card. It’s worth checking ahead of time which patterns and combinations to look out for in a particular game.
4. How many possible Bingo card combinations are there?
While a game of Bingo is simple at its core, the number of potential card combinations that players may be given is anything but simple.
We’re not going to go into the exact maths here, but in a game of 75-ball Bingo there are roughly 552 septillion potential card combinations! That’s probably more than you’d have guessed, and it makes it quite unlikely for any two players to have the same card combination in the same game.
5. Modern Bingo varieties
Thanks to the general shift towards online play, developers were able to experiment with fresh Bingo formats to shake up the classic formula. Not only can you find themed varieties – styled around things like popular gameshows – but there are some entirely fresh gameplay variants.
One of the most popular of these is Speed Bingo, which significantly cuts down on the number of balls in play to just 30!
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How many of these five points did you already know about Bingo, or did you learn something entirely new today?
