Bingo has been around for centuries and remains a popular game in the UK, USA and Europe. Despite decades of development, the rules for winning in bingo have remained much the same: numbers are drawn randomly and marked off on individual sheets until someone gets a full house and shouts ‘Bingo!’
Discover details of how to play this ever-popular game, including the basic rules for winning and the main bingo variations you can expect to find.
Finding a game
During the 20th century, bingo in the UK went from working men’s clubs to dedicated bingo halls to the World Wide Web. Traditional bingo halls still exist and are a staple of some UK communities, but you can now play online bingo from the comfort of your home via your laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Finding the right game for you depends on your preferences. The in-person game involves a host, paper sheets, and daubers to track numbers, in addition to a strong social element. With online bingo, you can set it up to ensure that you don’t miss your numbers and enjoy some peace and quiet.
If you are playing online bingo, make sure that you use a licensed provider who is following the legal requirements for running a game of bingo and takes steps to protect players.
Understanding the basics
The rules for the game of bingo are simple and straightforward, and do not vary whether you are playing in-person or online.
In the UK, the most common game is 90-ball bingo. Each player is given a sheet with six 3×9 grids, with each row containing five random numbers. The first to get a line of five wins the first round, and then it’s a race to reach a full house and win the game.
You should alert your host to these milestones by shouting ‘Bingo!’. The host will then examine your sheet to ensure that you’ve marked off the numbers correctly.
Be aware that in England it is normal for hosts to use the London dialect Cockney rhyming slang when announcing the numbers. For example, ‘knock at the door’ is four, and ‘man alive’ is 5.
Variations of bingo
While 90-ball bingo is the most common game in the UK, you will encounter other variations that have slightly different rules. For example, 30-ball bingo has been introduced as a rapid version of the game.
In North America, 75-ball bingo is the most popular version of the game. Players each have a 5×5 grid with a blank central square and are aiming to be the first to complete a line whether horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The first to get two lines wins the second round, and as with traditional bingo, the game is finished when someone gets a full house.
