Within the United Kingdom and worldwide, online bingo is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people are enjoying the convenience of playing anywhere that has an internet connection and at a anytime that is suitable for them.
The Bingo Game
UK Bingo (also known as Housie in other parts of the world) is a prize game where the player marks off numbers on their ticket as they are randomly drawn out, in order to complete a bingo line or full house (all the numbers on a bingo card).
The Bingo Ticket
A bingo ticket is made up of 15 random numbers between 1 and 90. They are arranged in three rows of nine columns with each row containing five numbers and 4 blank spaces, as can be seen in the image below.
A column will usually contain one or two numbers and occasionally all three numbers will be present. Each column will contain numbers within a specific range, so for example the numbers in the first column will be from 1 to 9, the second column 10 to 19 and so on until the ninth and last column which will contains numbers from 80 to 90.
The Bingo Line - Winning Combinations
A bingo line is one where all the numbers in a row on the ticket have been randomly drawn and called out.
The possible winning combinations are:- One Line (one row, 5 numbers)
- Two Lines (two rows, 10 numbers)
- Full House (all three rows and all 15 numbers on the ticket)
Playing Regular Bingo
Players usually buy and play with a book tickets containing all numbers from 1 to 90 randomly split between six tickets. Play is then divided into bingo sessions with a different book used for each session.
The bingo game is directed by a bingo caller, whose job is to call out the numbers and validate winning tickets. Before the start of each game the caller will announce the prize(s) to be won. The game then begins with the caller randomly drawing and calling out each number. The numbers can be selected in a number of ways, either electronically by a computer or from physically from a number container.
As the numbers are called out, players check and mark off matching numbers on their ticket. When a player has marked off all the numbers required for a winning combination, the player calls out "Line" or "House" depending on the prize, and an official will then check the ticket to verify the prize has been won.
Playing Bingo Online
Online Bingo is the game of bingo played on the Internet, but instead of using regular balls like those found in land based bingo halls and clubs, on-line bingo uses random number generators to pick out the random bingo numbers.
How to Play
To play bingo over the internet you need to register with the on line bingo sites such as the ones listed here. Registration is always free and once you have done this you can get started in playing, depending on the software the site uses. Some Bingo sites use custom software which you will need to download and install onto your computer first, others use Flash or Java based bingo software which allows you to play straight from your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer or FireFox).
Free, Cash & Bonus Play
Many online bingo sites offer players free play or free cash bonuses on signing up. When playing with your own money, some also offer match bonuses which reward you with an additional monetary bonus with your cash deposit. Internet Bingo sites accept a number of payment methods, the most common being credit or debit cards, cheque and back transfer.
Easier Bingo
Playing online bingo is as easy if not easier than offline bingo. Winning tickets will automatically register, even if you are away from the computer or lose internet connection. Additional features are provided that you can take advantage off, such as auto-daub, which automatically mark off the numbers on the bingo cards as they are called out, leaving you the option to also enjoy the sense of community between players by using the chat facilities while playing bingo online.
Online Chat
Online chat can be a big part of online bingo creating a friendly and communal atmosphere for you to meet and talk to others in a way you might not in a bingo hall. Whereas in offline bingo, talking during play is forbidden it is actively encouraged in online bingo. Chat Moderators are employed by bingo sites to act as the host, ensuring it is a pleasant environment for players, and offering chat based games in between bingo games.
Online Bingo aims to improve the fun, excitement, prizes and community found in regular bingo.
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