In the 1990s, land-based, brick-and-mortar Bingo Hall began to close their doors. At around the same time, the first generation of online bingo games came out of development and into the public domain.
By modern standards, these games were relatively crude with limited graphic and sound capability, but they caught on fast. Their popularity was only enhanced as the games went online; the social element of playing bingo had returned alongside a host of attractive bonus features.
And in 2023, bingo fans can not only play traditional 90-ball and 75-ball games, they can try variants like 80-ball and 30-ball bingo. Perhaps best of all are the that allow gamers to get a taste of all the different variations.
Once you’ve settled on which one of the hundreds of online bingo games to play, what is the best way to enjoy playing? Actually, we’re jumping the gun a little here…
Do Your Research
Even if you’ve never considered the possibility of playing online bingo, it should be obvious that its popularity has resulted in a wide choice of gaming websites. So, before you’ve even started to pick through the games, remember that not all websites are created equal.
This means it’s down to you to scrutinize websites and check reviews to ensure you’re playing with a reputable company. There are many ways of doing this. In addition to online forums, price comparison websites are a good resource, so do your research before committing to a game.
And on the subject of safety, use an online wallet such as PayPal (or, if you have one, a crypto wallet) rather than your debit/credit card.
Learn the Rules
This might seem like stating the obvious, I mean, who doesn’t know how to play bingo? Well, first-time players for a start, and even seasoned ‘live’ players might find the online version a little intimidating.
Also, the 80 and 30 ball games might require a bit of additional tuition, so take your time and play a demo, even a free version, before committing. If you’re still unsure, there will be online tutorials and plenty of ever-willing forums to help you get started.
It’s also recommended that even regular online players, after coming across a new variation of their favorite game, check the rules first. After all, you’ll have enough on your plate trying to get bingo, so don’t let yourself down before you’ve even begun the game.
A final note on this section: always check the prizes before committing to a game! These can vary vastly depending on the game to as, no doubt, some of you have learned to your cost.
Play with Friends!
One of the best things about bingo in the here and now is that the social aspect of the game is back. Now, you can make new friends and chat with old pals and generally carry on as if you were playing in any regular land-based bingo hall.
There is another advantage to playing with friends outside of the social aspect, too. It’s also a good place to hear of new games and the best/worst websites, with the odd tip or trick thrown in for good measure. Speaking of which…
Use Strategies
There are three major ways you can increase your chances of winning, the first being the most obvious:
- Buying more cards increases the chances of you winning -as well as losing more money so be prudent.
- Play when there are fewer players. Sure, you might miss chatting with your mates, but you increase your chances of winning; those unsociable hours may be the most rewarding.
- Use actual strategies. The best known of these is the Tippett strategy, which advises picking bingo cards as close as you can to number 38 if you’re playing shorter games.
- Tippett also advises that, for longer games, pick cards as close as you can to 1 or 75/80 depending on how many balls your game is using.
- Use Granville’s strategy, which proposes an equal number of odd and even cards, high and low numbers, and equal numbers ending in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Keep Tabs on Games
The more you , the better understanding you’ll have of the best and worst places to play online bingo. This data needs to be noted as you can use it to your advantage going forward.
For example, say you’ve applied one of the two suggested strategies, how did it work out? Which website? Which game? These little nuggets of info could mean the difference between winning or losing in the future.
Have Fun!
Bingo is meant to be a fun way to spend your time and money. Only you will know when things are getting a little tense and the fun stuff isn’t there anymore.