Not many people are aware that, like many other casino and casual gambling games, there are different types of bingo games. We aren’t talking about the fact that you can turn bingo into a party game. Instead, we’re speaking about the fact that there are legitimate variations of the game.
How exactly do bingo games differ from each other, though?
Well, there are three main areas in which traditional bingo games may differ from another variation:
The number of balls used in a game
The design of the card
The number of games you play in a single round
Below we have a look at some of the types of bingo available online, where they come from, and whether or not they are popular. We also list our recommended online casinos so that you can jump into a bingo game any time you like.
There are four main variants of bingo, with rules varying slightly for each type. Sub-variations come from these variants.
75 Ball Bingo
75 ball bingo is the most popular form of bingo in North America. As the name suggests, this version of bingo makes use of 75 balls. Online casinos powered by software provider Realtime Gaming usually offer this variation of the game.
In 75 ball bingo, cards are made up of 5×5 matrices with 24 numbered squares and a wild card or “free” square that is gifted to every player. Although 75-ball bingo is usually played with a standard winning pattern rule of a full house (meaning that you need to cover the entire board), some games may award players for lesser matches.
Many online games have standard rules that award players with payouts for matching a row/column or two rows/columns. Do not confuse this with the round system usually used in 90-ball bingo.
90 Ball Bingo
90 ball bingo is also known as UK bingo. Arguably, this is the most popular form of the game worldwide and is the most commonly available online.
The main difference with this variation is that bingo cards feature 9×3 playing lines. The structure is very different from the matrix structure seen in most bingo games. Firstly, each column contains five numbers and four free numbers.
Secondly, a handful of numbers can only appear in each row, which is standard in bingo. However, as there are nine rows on this card, your odds of winning in this game are much lower.
Usually, games are played in rounds of three, where players need to find three different winning patterns in each round: one column, two columns, and a full house. Generally, games will allow a single player to play up to six cards in a single round.
80 Ball Bingo
Online casino operators created 80 ball bingo, so you’ll have trouble finding a game of this variation in your local bingo hall. The game was designed to be slightly more fast-paced than traditional 75 ball or 90 ball games.
But how does that work if the game has more balls than 75 ball bingo?
Well, the game uses bingo tickets with 4×4 matrices instead of 5×5 bingo. So, you only have to match 16 numbers on your card to win a game with a full house. There is also no “free” space on the card, so you need to match all the numbers.
Nowadays, a lot of operators offer this variation in some shape or form. Rules vary according to who created the game. Generally, you can play until players match a single row, column, or full house. Other games award individual players separately in a single game for being the first to match a row, column, and full house.
30 Ball Bingo
30 ball bingo is another variant of bingo that was created for the online bingo space. It makes the game of bingo even faster and more exciting, with rounds flying by as winners are quickly decided.
A 30 ball bingo game makes use of 3×3 cards with no free space. You need to match just nine numbers to win. Usually, the only way to win this game is to match the whole card with the full set of numbers. It is harder to build patterns on the card as there are so few numbers.
Most online bingo rooms allow you to buy up to 96 cards per 30 ball game, which gives you a good chance of winning. However, we urge you to play responsibly as a win is not guaranteed even if you buy more than one ticket.
Which Variation Should You Play?
The variation you choose to play depends on what you are looking for as a player. If you like playing lots of games in quick succession, we recommend that you look at playing 30-ball bingo games.
However, if you like having loads of different opportunities to win small and big prizes, we recommend that you look at games with bigger cards like 75-ball and 90-ball bingo.
Regardless of your preference, remember that you playing online is possible at any time at the best bingo casinos!
