Online gambling has opened the door for gambling enthusiasts all over the world. With the door wide open, millions of sports bettors and casino players are embracing the chance to gamble online from their living rooms or a local coffee shop.
While online sports betting and casino gambling have been available in Europe for more than two decades, bingo players are thrilled to recently get their days in the sun. Over the last 10 years or so, playing online bingo for real money has become an increasingly popular form of adult entertainment.
As you contemplate joining in the online bingo fun, you could benefit by knowing more about the endeavor in which you are about to join. In an effort to help you make some of the right decisions, the following information should help you identify the bingo variations that you might enjoy playing most. The discussion will also focus on the reasons you should consider playing online bingo.
Bingo Variations
Over the years, online bingo software developers have been innovating a growing number of online bingo variations. Today, many of the top online bingo sites will be offering as many as a dozen or so variations from which players can choose.
Generally, each variation follows similar rules. That includes the prices of virtual bingo cards. What tends to differentiate each variation from the other is the amount of time it takes to complete games and some occasional rule nuances. Let’s take a brief look at the most popular bingo variations among online bingo players in Europe.
Note: Some of these games can vary a little, so you need to read your site’s rules carefully. They usually vary because of the way the applicable software developer decided to interpret the game.
30-Ball (speed bingo)
This variation offers a great alternative for online bingo players who just need to pass a little time. The game features a 3×3 card matrix, which allows for each game to be played in just a few minutes.
50-Ball Bing
This variation offers a nice compromise between speed bingo and the longer variations. The game features 50 balls and five (5) tickets with ten (10) numbers (2 rows of 5 numbers) on each of those tickets. Games can end with multiple winners since there are two (2) chances to win in every game. Games can be completed in as little as 10 minutes.
60-Ball Bingo
This is a fairly new option in the world of online bingo. What sets this variation apart from the others is the game’s flexibility. The 60-ball games allow bingo operators to add their own twists. Tombola’s 60-ball bingo game Blocks and Playtech’s Deal or No Deal The Big Draw Live are two of the more popular game iterations. Please read the rules carefully. Games run about 15 minutes long.
75-Ball Bingo
This variation is the one typically used in live bingo halls. Virtual bingo cards feature a 5×5 matrix or 20 squares with winning combinations going down, across, and diagonal. It’s also common for operators to designate special variants like Blackout (fill the entire card) and other creative patterns. Games can run from 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
80-Ball Bingo
While this variation adds five (5) more balls than the 75-ball variation, the virtual bingo card is actually smaller. It has a 4×4 matrix or 16 squares with winning combinations going down, across, or in a specially designated pattern. Because of the smaller card, games run from 15 minutes to about 20 minutes.
90-Ball Bingo
Again, this variation is played with a virtual bingo card that is smaller than a 75-ball or 80-ball card. It has a 3×5 matrix or 15 squares. What makes this variation unique is each game has three (3) winners. The first winner is the first player to cover one (1) row. The second winner is the first player to cover two (2) rows. The third winner is the first player to cover all spaces and score a Blackout.
Why Online Bingo?
While bingo halls still seem to be drawing good crowds, the number of online bingo players just keeps growing. So, why online bingo instead of a bingo hall? If you need the motivation to give online bingo a go, here are a few reasons:
- Easy access to as many as a dozen bingo variations and different game price levels
- The action is much faster from one game to the next
- Online bingo sites offer welcome bonuses and plenty of opportunities to secure other benefits
- Convenience – online bingo sites are available 24/7/365 with no need to travel
- Chance to play bingo with players from all over the world – chat options are available
Sound good? Give it a go.