Bingo is a simple game of luck and attention: mark the numbers as they are called and shout when your card is complete. Our free browser version is coming soon.
The History of Bingo
Bingo is often traced to an Italian lottery called Lo Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia, dated to around 1530; the lottery survives in Italy today as Lotto. The idea later reached France, where Le Lotto of the 1770s used a grid of three rows and nine columns, and spread across Europe as a numbered parlor game.
In the United States a similar game called Beano was played at carnivals. In December 1929 a toy salesman named Edwin S. Lowe saw it at a carnival near Atlanta. According to the usual story, a player at a game he hosted at home excitedly yelled Bingo instead of Beano, and Lowe sold the game under that name, although some accounts credit another promoter with the name. His company later produced thousands of different card layouts to reduce ties.
In Britain and Ireland the game took a different shape, using 90 numbers and ticket strips, and it was traditionally called housey-housey. Today the American 75-ball style and the British 90-ball style are the two big families of the game, and this site treats both as friendly entertainment only.
How to Play Bingo: Basic Rules for 75-Ball and 90-Ball
This is a free game for fun, with no gambling and no real money involved. Here is how a round works.
The two main versions differ in the card and the number range. A 75-ball card is a 5 by 5 grid under the letters B, I, N, G and O. Column B holds numbers 1 to 15, I holds 16 to 30, N holds 31 to 45, G holds 46 to 60 and O holds 61 to 75. The center square is a free space. A 90-ball ticket has 3 rows and 9 columns, with 15 numbers in total, five in each row. The first column uses 1 to 9, the second 10 to 19, and so on up to 80 to 90 in the last column.
- Get one or more cards. Every card has a different arrangement of numbers.
- The caller draws a ball at random and announces its number. In 75-ball games the letter is included, such as B-7 or O-72.
- If the number is on your card, mark it. Each number can only appear once per game.
- Keep going until someone completes the target pattern. In 75-ball Bingo this is often a straight line, and in 90-ball Bingo wins are usually for one line, two lines and then a full house, meaning all 15 numbers.
- Call out Bingo as soon as you complete the pattern. In many British halls players shout House or Line instead.
- The caller checks the winning card against the numbers drawn. If it is correct, the round ends and a new game begins.
Bingo Patterns and Tips to Get More Out of Every Game
Bingo is mostly luck, so no strategy can change which balls come out. Good habits, however, help you enjoy more games and never miss a win. In 75-ball Bingo the target is often announced as a pattern: a single line across, down or diagonal, four corners, an X shape, a letter T, a postage stamp in one corner, or blackout, where the whole card must be covered. Check the pattern before the first ball is drawn.
- Read the pattern first, because a four corners game needs different numbers than a blackout game and you should know what to watch for.
- Play a few cards you can follow comfortably. Each extra card gives more chances, but missing a number on a card you cannot keep up with gives none.
- Scan the whole card after every call, not only the area near the last mark, since a number can complete a line somewhere else.
- Remember the free space in 75-ball games. It counts as already marked, so lines through the center need only four numbers.
- In 90-ball games, watch the rows closely. The win goes to the first row finished, so a row with four marks is one number away from winning.
- Stay alert near the end of a round, because the first valid call usually takes the win.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online Bingo here free, and does it involve real money?
It is meant as a free entertainment game. There is no gambling, no deposits, and no real money or cash rewards. You play for fun. The browser game is planned and is not live yet, so for now this page explains the rules.
What is the difference between 75-ball and 90-ball Bingo?
75-ball Bingo is the American style, with a 5 by 5 card, the letters B-I-N-G-O and pattern games. 90-ball Bingo is the British style, with 3 by 9 tickets, 15 numbers each, and wins for one line, two lines and a full house.
How many numbers are on a Bingo card?
A 75-ball card has 25 squares, one of which is a free space, so you mark 24 called numbers. A 90-ball ticket shows 15 numbers, five in each of the three rows, spread across nine columns.
What are the most common Bingo patterns?
Common 75-ball patterns include a single line, four corners, an X, a T, a postage stamp and blackout, which covers the entire card. In 90-ball Bingo the usual goals are one line, two lines and a full house.
What do the letters B-I-N-G-O mean?
In 75-ball Bingo the letters head the five columns of the card, and each letter covers a fixed number range: B is 1 to 15, I is 16 to 30, N is 31 to 45, G is 46 to 60 and O is 61 to 75. A call such as N-38 tells you which column to check.
Can I play Bingo with friends in the browser?
That is the plan. The game is intended to run in your browser, with a shared room where friends could join you. It is not live yet, so check back later for news about when it might be ready.