Bingo Without Depositing

Download vs. Flash: Some bingo sites require that you download their software, others enable you to play online bingo games through a Flash version, and some offer both options. Most bingo software isn’t available for the Mac, so Mac users may have to stick with Flash versions to play online bingo games.

Deposits, Bonuses, and Payouts: When you play online bingo games, you want to make sure to be aware of site policies on deposits, bonuses, and payouts. Some sites have severe restrictions on withdrawals, requiring you to play ten times the amount you deposited before withdrawal, or requiring you to forfeit bonuses when you make a withdrawal.

Player Loyalty: Many sites offer player incentives to play online bingo games at their site. Be sure to check out the loyalty program of the site you’re interested in. If you’re a frequent player, you might as well be rewarded for your loyalty.

Community: Most sites strive to generate a feeling of community among their players. They often do this through chat rooms and bulletin boards, as well as through chat games offering bonus buck prizes. Sites often publish weekly or monthly newsletters outlining promotions and specials. When selecting a site, get a sense of the community by visiting their chat rooms and looking at their newsletter.

Honesty: When selecting a site, look for a testament to the impartiality of their games. Virtually all sites use random number generators to ensure fair play, but some sites go further and have third party testing to ensure impartiality. You may also want to see if the site has adopted the code of conduct of the Interactive Gaming Council.

Safety: Most bingo sites use 128-bit encryption to secure personal and financial information. Before depositing money with a site, you should verify that their transmission methods are secure.

Legality: There are legal restrictions to online gaming. Some countries may have age restrictions, while other countries may prohibit online gaming. Before you start, be sure to check the legality of online gaming in your area.

Bingo Basics - 75 Ball Bingo

In 75-ball bingo, each player has a certain number of bingo cards (or “Faces). Each card has five rows and five columns of numbers. Each of the columns is labeled with a letter. Reading from left to right, the letters are B, I, N, G, and O.

The center space in the “N” column is labeled “free.” The other 24 spaces each contain a number within a range designated for the column. The “B” column can contain numbers 1-15; the “I” column can contain numbers 16-30; the “N” column contains numbers from 31-45; the “G” column contains numbers from 46-60; and the “O” column contains numbers from 61-75.

Prior to the start of a bingo game, the game’s pattern is announced. A pattern can be simple, such as a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line, or complex, such as a staircase or a butterfly. Some patterns are dynamic, in that they can be achieved by covering numbers in any part of the card, while others are static, in that they must be positioned exactly as depicted in the pattern.

In 75-ball bingo, the caller announces the numbers, such as “G-49,” and, if the number appears on the player’s card, it is daubed. Play continues until a player finds that the calls have resulted in him or her daubing his or her ticket to match the pattern, at which time he or she calls “Bingo.” If the win is verified, the game stops and the pattern for the next game is announced.

90 Ball Bingo

Ninety-ball bingo differs significantly from 75-ball bingo. Typically played in the United Kingdom and Australia, 90-ball bingo uses cards that have three rows and nine columns. Each row has nine boxes, five of which contain numbers from 1 to 90; the rest are blank. A 90-ball bingo game has three parts: the caller calls numbers until the first winner covers all five numbers in one row (a “Line”); the calls continue until the second winner covers all ten numbers in two rows (“Two Lines”); the calls continue until the third winner covers all 15 number is three rows (Full House). Typically the prizes are staggered, so that the Line winner receives the least amount, the Two Line winner receives the next highest amount, and the Full House winner receives the most, or the jackpot.

In 75-ball bingo, each playing face is called a “card,” while in 90-ball bingo, each playing face is called a “ticket.” In 90-ball bingo, players typically play Strips, each of which contains six tickets. All 90 numbers are contained within a Strip, so that a number is daubed after each call.