On the surface, Bingo is a simple game. Think about Bingo and images of community centres filled with octogenarians, sucking on hard candy comes to mind. But there’s actually a lot more that makes this game tick, and being able to play online has opened up the old classic to a new generation of players.
For one thing, there are actually quite a few types of bingo games to play, including rapid-fire bingo options that are bound to get your heart pumping.
Different types of Bingo Games
Although the bingo game list isn’t extensive, there is still plenty to sink your teeth into. Bingo game types vary depending on the number of balls in the drum and the size of the playing board. Names of Bingo games are pretty self-explanatory and relate to the number of balls in the drum.
75 Ball Bingo
Probably the most popular of bingo variations in Canada, 75 Ball Bingo is played on a 5×5 grid containing 25 squares. All the squares are numbered, with the exception of the middle square which is left blank.
To win you need to scratch off rows or columns. Various patterns can also be created to claim a win, and we’ll go into more detail about these patterns later on.
80 Ball Bingo
It you want to play bingo online, then you might want to give 80 Ball Bingo a go. This game was created specifically to play online.
It plays out on a 4×4 grid with 16 squares, the objective is to match your card to the winning pattern for the game.
90 Ball Bingo
Talking of different bingo games, this one isn’t too popular here in Canada or the US, but you’ll find it aplenty on the other side of the pond and in the rest of the world.
It is played on a bingo card with 3 rows and 5 columns. Three winners are announced during the game: the first to one row, then to two rows, and then the final winner who completes the whole board of 15 squares.
30 Ball Bingo
One of the increasingly popular Bingo game variations is 30 Ball Bingo, often called Speed Bingo. With an Ariana Grande sized 3×3 playing card, the game lives up to its name. To win this one you’ll have to fil in all the squares, but with only one prize up for grabs, you’ll quickly learn that great things do come in small packages.
Bingo Calls
Rhymes, looks like the number, or relates to the number in a special way.
One of the best quirks of playing in a Bingo Hall is the use of Bingo game number names. These are the nicknames relating to the numbered balls read out by the caller.
This Bingo lingo either rhymes with the number, is named after what the number looks like, or pays tribute to something special relating to the number.
1 – Kelly’s eye
2 – One little duck
3 – Cup of tea
4 – Knock at the door
5 – Man alive
6 –Half a dozen
7 – Lucky seven
8 – Garden gate
9 – Doctor’s orders
10 – [UK Prime Minister’s name]’s den
11 – Legs eleven
12 – One dozen
13 – Unlucky for some
14 – Valentine’s Day
15 – Young and keen
16 – Sweet 16 and never been kissed
17 – Dancing queen
18 – Coming of age
19 – Goodbye teens
20 – One score
21 –Key of the door
22 – Two little ducks
23 – Thee and me
24 – Two dozen
25 – Duck and dive
26 – Pick and mix
27 – Gateway to heaven
28 – In a state
29 – Rise and shine
30 – Dirty Gertie
31 – Get up and run
32 – Buckle my shoe
33 – Dirty knee
34 – Ask for more
35 – Jump and jive
36 – Three dozen
37 – More than eleven
38 – Christmas cake
39 – 39 steps
40 – Life begins
41 – Time for fun
42 – Winnie the Pooh
43 – Down on your knees
44 – Droopy drawers
45 – Halfway there
46 – Up to tricks
47 – Four and seven
48 – Four dozen
49 – PC
50 – Half a century
51 – Tweak of the thumb
52 – Danny La Rue
53 – Stuck in a tree
54 – Clean the floor
55 – Snakes alive
56 – Shotts Bus
57 – Heinz varieties
58 – Make them wait
59 – Brighton Line
60 – Five dozen
61 – Baker’s bun
62 – Turn the screw
63 – Tickle me 63
64 – Red raw
65 – Old age pension
66 – Clickety click
67 – Stairway to heaven
68 – Saving Grace
69 – Favourite of mine
70 – Three score and ten
71 – Bang on the drum
72 – Six dozen
73 – Queen bee
74 – Hit the floor
75 – Strive and strive
76 – Trombones
77 – Sunset strip
78 – 39 more steps
79 – One more time
80 – Eight and blank
81 – Stop and run
82 – Straight on through
83 – Time for tea
84 – Seven dozen
85 – Staying alive
86 – Between the sticks
87 – Torquay in Devon
88 – Two fat ladies
89 – Nearly there
90 – Top of the shop
Winning Bingo Patterns
A few special Bingo games offer you whole new ways to play Bingo. Besides winning through completing lines and columns, you can also win by completing special patterns on your Bingo cards.
Here are a few wacky and traditional bingo patterns you might need to look out for when playing 75 and 80 Ball Bingo:
Blackout
Also known as the Full House, to Blackout your board, you’ll need to mark every number on your board.
Checkerboard
For this pattern, you’ll need all four corners and then alternative blocks throughout the board to make a checkerboard pattern.
Four Corners
Get all four corners of the board to complete this pattern.
Lines
This one is the classic winning pattern and will get you a win in every version, with the exception of 30 Ball Bingo. Vertical, horizontal and corner-to-corner diagonals all apply.
Butterfly
Completing patterns is one way to explore different bingo game ideas. One of the more obscure patterns, the butterfly looks like it went through a slightly twisted form of metamorphosis resulting in teeny-tiny wings.
Heart
Are you starting to love Bingo? Well then, this pattern will be close to your heart.
Outer Edge
Also known as a picture frame. With this pattern, you’ll need to cover all the outer edges of the Bingo board.
Kite
Resembling a kite flying in the sky, you’ll need to either form a small kite, or the slightly trickier large kite to claim this win.
Staircase
Climb up the five stairs of this staircase to complete this winning pattern.
Postage stamp
Signed, sealed and delivered to offer you a win. The double stamp is harder to hit but will give you a bigger reward.
Lucky Clover
Hard to hit since it covers most of the board, but all you need is a little extra luck.
Wine Glass and Six Pack
Wine connoisseur, or do you have more of a taste for a cool Bud? Whichever you are, this might be the pattern for you.
Numbers and numbers
Some winning patterns form the shape of numbers and letters. For an extra twist, special patterns like “Crazy 7s” And “Crazy Ts” fall on their sides.
