Of all of the online gambling games you can play these days, one of the oldest (and still most popular) is bingo.
If however, you don’t know what bingo is, or how to play, then this is the guide for you!
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The Objective of Online Bingo
The main aim for bingo is to cross off your bingo numbers on your game card, as they get called from the main draw.
In ‘real life’ bingo, a caller would stand in front of an audience, draw the ball and shout out the number. Instead, with online bingo, this is an automated process, where numbers are drawn and automatically crossed off on your game card.
The numbers you need will vary from game to game, as well as the stage of the game you are in. These numbers will typically form some sort of ‘pattern’.
For example, a typical pattern could be a line, two lines, ‘full house’, ‘X’, corners or something else. But we’ll talk more about this below.
By being the first person to complete a designated pattern out of all the players, you win the prize pot (or split it with other winning players).
How To Get Started With Online Bingo
To get started with online bingo, you need to do the following.
- Choose an online bingo site to play from. If you haven’t already signed up to a site, you can check out the best UK online bingo sites, to find the best new player welcome bonuses.
- Choose your game. There are plenty of different bingo games to choose from, varying in the number of balls, the number of players, theme, price and all sorts of different factors!
- Buy your tickets. Purchase all the tickets you want for each game – remembering that more cards doesn’t mean better odds!
- Play the game. Follow along to see how many you need to win. Make sure to check all cards and all available patterns.
- Bingo! Find a winning pattern before anybody else to win your prize. If you’ve won, make sure to also check out any bonus games you may be eligible for.
How Do You Win at Online Bingo?
How you win at online bingo will depend on the time of game you are playing.
In bingo there are a lot of different ‘patterns’ which indicate how and when you win a game. Make sure to check out the rules of each game before you play to understand how you win. Although most online bingo games will automatically alert you to when you win, it is more exciting to know how you win.
Below are some of the different patterns to be aware of.
T-Shape Pattern
The ‘T-Shape’ pattern is self-explanatory. Complete one line, with another line perpendicular to it. Remember that the pattern doesn’t have to be the right way up, it can be upside down or at a 90 degree angle too!
X-Shape Pattern
Another obvious pattern, and requires two complete lines too. Instead, these lines are perpendicular to each other and must form a ‘X-shape’. This will happen on games that are a square – typically a 5×5 grid.
Diamond Pattern
The ‘diamond’ pattern is just like that of the 2D diamond you all drew in school. But for the diamond pattern, you need to be aware of both ‘big’ and ‘small’ diamonds.
The big diamond shape will have all four points touching an outer edge, centred around the middle square of the board. Small diamonds don’t need to touch all edges or the centre, but can be another way of winning – if the rules dictate.
1 Line, 2 Lines or a Full House
The traditional bingo games you are likely aware of consists of three horizontal lines with five numbers.
To win, complete one full line with the numbers drawn, two lines, or all three lines – also known as a full house.
In most bingo games, a different prize is awarded for the first person to get each line – with prizes increasing for a full house!
Playing Bingo Online With Friends
If you are playing bingo online, you likely want to play with your friends. If so, there are a few ways to play bingo online together.
In-Game Chat
Firstly, sign up to the same game and enter the bingo online chat option. Here you can talk with friends, but be aware that all other players will be talking too, so conversations are not private. They can also be hard to follow messages when lots of people are interacting.
Private Group Chat
If you want to enjoy a chat with friends, but with privacy, you can opt to set up a group chat. Simply set up a group on your messenger platform of choice, and remain in contact with your friends whilst you discuss your luck!
Video Call
Take your group chat to the next level and opt for a video call. Set up a group Facetime call, via Whatsapp, or make use of your Zoom application!
Finding Online Bingo Sites For UK Players
Once you know how to play online bingo, and you’ve arranged a way to remain in contact with your friends, all you need to do is choose an online bingo site to play at.
Fortunately, we’ve done some of the hard work for you, and have compiled a list of some of the best online bingo bonuses to get started with!
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