Online bingo is a big deal in the UK. Check our guide and discover the best UK online bingo rooms and free no deposit bingo bonuses!
Bingo is one of the most talked-about games in the UK. Or is it that people seem to talk a lot in between games? Arguably both, but what is not up for debate is that the game is huge. Thanks to the internet, bingo suffered an even bigger growth spurt than it did among the chatty ladies and gents who flocked like seagulls around the first bingo halls of Britain.
It is a simple game to play: simply match the numbers on your bingo card with the balls which are drawn by a caller. If you complete the required pattern, you win. When playing bingo online, a random ball generator will pick the balls. Patterns are almost always different within a few hundred games or more, making it truly random and an absolute game of luck.
Best UK Bingo Casino Sites
How to choose the best bingo sites
Bingo remains super-popular in the UK. The game has long roots in our communities, but it’s easier to play online these days, with a huge array of sites offering a big choice of games.
With so many bingo sites to pick from how do you find the best UK bingo sites?
Make it Safe
The internet isn’t the Wild West world it once was but you shouldn’t let your guard down online, particularly when you’re transferring money online.
So, first of all, make sure that the bingo site you use is safe and legal for you to play at. It needs to have a UK Gambling Commission licence or you need to leave.
Check out the licence and see that you’re happy it’s up to date. Some licences have sanctions against them and you might want to weight that up in your choice.
Got the balls?
Once you’re sure you’re in safe waters you can look at the games on offer. If you’re new to online bingo then now is the time to shop around. If you’re an established fan then you want to find the games you love.
Bingo comes in all sorts of flavours, shapes, and sizes, but the big division is between 75-ball and 90-ball games. Find what you like and seek it out.
You’ll also find different games styles and speeds, live callers, and different budgets. A good variety on a site is a good start.
A game on the side – or a good laugh
Bingo is a timed game that is played by multiple players simultaneously. That means there are occasional breaks in play. It’s in those breaks that players often have a couple of spins on a slot game. These are called Side Games in bingo-world, and they’re quite often limited to a particular provider at each site, so see what they have on offer.
Bingo is also the most social of online gambling games, and game chat rooms are a popular feature of most UK bingo sites. This means players often end up forming little friendships online. Don’t be afraid to take a look at – or read bingo casinos reviews – of chat rooms to see if a site has your sort of crowd.
Where it all started?
Your grandmother could probably tell you a thing or two, but you could really surprise her with this knowledge. The origins of the game, surprisingly enough, extend past the first time Edna and Ethel stumbled into a hall in Bradford following a pie and chips. The game which we call bingo actually derives from a precursor in 1530’s Italy – “Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia” – which is still going strong.
From there, the popularity of the game increased. In the 18th century, France came up with “Le Lotto”, which added to the popularity of such games. From Britain to America, Germany to Ireland, bingo then became such a big deal that it was almost ubiquitous. Thankfully, its simplicity remained. In the US, the game became “Beano” which was a mispronunciation of bingo, and led to a massive interest in the game as a whole.
Before long, there were all kinds of community gatherings – like churches, casinos, and even nursing homes – which went crazy for bingo. In the 2000s, bingo became massive online. It spawned hundreds of online casinos and sites which provided players with numerous ways to play. The sociable aspect of the game transferred perfectly to the online domain and made bingo one of the most searched terms in gambling content.
What is Bingo?
The basics of bingo start with how basic bingo is to play. There is no one out there who has played the game who could argue that it would require a degree in rocket science to understand. The rules are truly simple, so you will never have to waste time sitting down to strategize ways to win. Unlike other games, you do not have to mull over each little detail to keep up with other players. The game is essentially based on unadulterated luck, which means that there are no levels to skills or bingo experts out there.
Things are even easier when you play online. Everything is done automatically, which means that the manual task of buying books, crossing off numbers, shouting out etc. are eliminated. You can opt to manual tick off your numbers online on certain games, but would you really want to?
Although the game is based on luck, there are things which you will need to know in order to get the hang of the game. These basics details help you understand what to expect when you play your first Bingo game. There is little worse than playing a game and having no idea what you are doing…
What You Need to Know
OK, so the first thing you will need to do to play bingo online is to find a bingo site or casino. You can register at a specific bingo site or opt for a casino which has Bingo games. Of course, you must do your homework to find one which is suitable for the cause.
You should also make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into, and what you will need. Playing bingo is easy and should not require much effort, but you will need to know how to use a computer or device and must be able to navigate a casino’s options to find a game. Once you signed up and chosen your deposit method, you can then fund your account.
From here, you select what game you want to play and simply enter the game. There will be a number of different games you can play, which we will cover below. Before playing, try and cross these things off (see what we did there) to give yourself a better chance of easing yourself into the game.
Your Approach to the Game
A great place to start your bingo adventure is to play low-stakes games. This helps to get the hang of how the game works, the look of the site and the game, and some experience you can then take with you into the higher stake games. As time goes on, you might find yourself playing higher stakes for higher prizes. As the only thing that changes here, for the most part, are the prizes, you can find the right stake for your playing needs.
So when you have found your forte, you are free to go ahead and buy your cards and tickets for the game. What you will want is to see your numbers drawn out in a pattern which has been predetermined in order for you to win prize money or other incentives. The best thing about bingo is that the winning requirements are set out from the start, which makes things really easy.
Buying your tickets or cards is also easy online. You can choose the cards yourself, or allow for this to be done randomly, which is faster and more convenient. The number of cards you wish to buy – or if you want them selected on an automatic basis – will be entirely up to you. When it comes to limits on how many you can buy, these are usually listed on the site in a clear and easy to understand format.
Do your chances of winning change if you don’t choose your own cards? No, is the answer. Your chances of winning do not change if you decide to have your cards picked at random rather than choosing them for yourself. Although, for the more superstitious among us, this may not be something that you are completely happy doing. The good thing is that you will have the option to do both.
Different types of Bingo
90 Ball Bingo
The most popular version of bingo has 90 balls which are drawn, and Bingo cards in this game have 3 lines and 9 horizontal columns. There are 15 numbers on each card. The first column has numbers 1 to 9, in the second, numbers 10 to 19, so on and so forth.
In summary, 90 Ball Bingo is comprised of:
- Balls – 90
- Columns – 9
- Lines on Each Card – 3
- Balls to Hit – 15
80 Ball Bingo
80 ball bingo may not be as popular as 90 ball bingo, but it is still one of the favourites. Given that it is more difficult to find on some bingo sites online, it is a nice surprise to find it. there are reasons to consider playing it if you can find it. This is a quicker game as there are fewer balls involved.
The cards are also structured slightly differently. They have 4 columns and 4 lines, which makes up 16 numbers in total per card. There are slight differences between 80 and 90 ball Bingo, but you can easily get the hang of it, like any type of bingo. You can also lookup the rules and differences before you play, which can help majorly.
In summary, 80 Ball Bingo is comprised of:
- Balls – 80
- Columns – 4
- Rows on Each Card – 4
- Balls to Hit – 16
75 Ball Bingo
Players in the USA and Canada tend to prefer playing 75 ball bingo. It has recently started to become popular among the UK and European players too. While there are fewer balls, this doesn’t necessarily mean that there is less fun. 75 ball Bingo has 5 columns and 5 rows, so you can easily distinguish it from the preceding two games.
Each of the columns is arranged under the name BINGO, so the first set is laid under the B, the 2nd under an I, the 3rd under a G, until you reach the last letter at the end. 75 ball Bingo requires all participants to complete a pattern which corresponds to a particular letter, number or just complete a line.
Is this game more difficult to play? Not really. If you are used to playing other types of Bingo, it may be a novelty to play 75 ball bingo. It can be argued that this is more to do with the look of the cards and how it appears when you are halfway through a game. It is not difficult by any means and can actually be more fun to participate in, which is an incentive in itself.
In summary, 75 Ball Bingo is comprised of:
Balls – 75
Columns – 5
Rows on Each Card – 5
Balls to Hit – Rules may vary from game to game
Popular in the USA and Canada
30 Ball Bingo
Speed is the underlying appeal of 30 ball bingo. The faster versions of bingo are very popular with those who like quick and ready action. There is a chance that you have probably heard of 30 ball Bingo for this reason.
Also known by other names such as Speed Bingo, and Rapid Fire, 30 ball bingo takes less time to play and is pretty hard to keep up with for many players who play the traditional versions of the game. Conversely, bingo novices tend to find fast and direct action appealing. It is truly simple and no-nonsense, can be lots of fun.
Those who play bingo games on the go tend to like speed bingo as it doesn’t require a player to provide much in terms of input. It is convenient for these reasons. Playing is made easy, with a card that features 3 columns and 3 numbers, where players shoot to land 9 numbers.
30 ball Bingo is among the fastest games you can play online. It’s hyper pace and all-around appeal makes it one of the most popular games out there. 30 ball bingo is also one of the more modern versions of bingo, which means that it may take a little time before it catches on with old Ethel and Edna.
In summary, 30 Ball Bingo is comprised of:
Balls – 30
Columns – 3
Rows on Each Card – 3
Balls to Hit – 9
Why Play Bingo Online?
Bingo’s mass appeal seems to dwarf other games in comparison. Despite bingo’s association with old-school ladies nattering away, it is a game which is also loved by men. The game has its charms, it must be said, and easily transfers over to the online platform. In fact, it is hard to think of other games which have as seamlessly made the internet their home quite like bingo.
The game itself is nothing short of simple to play. There is not much required of the player at all, other than buying their cards. While this is up to a player’s preference, the number of cards chosen does increase your chances of winning. It also increases the amount of money that you will spend, so perhaps the big takeaway from this guide is that your biggest input is how much you spend.
Finding the right platform to play on will also be a big decision, as this will directly affect your experience. For the abundance of sites and casinos play on, there are some who really push the boat out with the social factor. When you are encouraged to engage in chatrooms to speak with other players, and rewarded for this, it can be a nice touch.
Not all bingo players want to hear people talking or deal with the hundreds of inane comments that pop up. The good news here is that you can find a site where the chat options can be disabled, leaving you in complete silence and not at the behest of over-talkative distractors.
Online bingo is a big deal. There are many who would argue that it is truly the best experience you could hope to have online.
