Listen to this article:Whether you are a complete newcomer to the game or have been playing bingo for years, you may not have paid much attention to the design of the bingo cards. If you are a regular at your local bingo hall, then you will be used to the cards used when playing 90-ball bingo.
However, if like millions of others you now enjoy playing online bingo, then there is every chance that you will have tried different varieties of the game, such as 75-ball, 80-ball, and 30-ball bingo, and you will have noticed that each has its own design of bingo card. Read on to learn more about why each version has its own card design.
As mentioned, 90-ball bingo is the standard game played in the UK’s bingo halls. The card has a layout consisting of three rows and nine columns. Along each row there are five numbers and four blank spaces.
However, the numbers are not positioned randomly. Each column has a range. For instance, the first column covers numbers 1 to 10, the second from 11 to 20, and so on, until the last column which contains numbers 81 to 90. Even with these constraints, there is still a vast number of possible cards, trillions of them in fact.
Thanks to the cards’ design, there are three possible ways to win in most 90-ball bingo games:
80-ball bingo is most often found online. It uses cards that have a 4×4 grid and different coloured columns. For example, the first might be red, the second yellow, the third blue, and the fourth silver.
In general, the first column will contain numbers from 1 to 20, the second from 21 to 40, the third from 41 to 60, and the fourth from 61 to 80. As a result, it is easy for players to check whether they have a number when it is called.
One of the most appealing things about 80-ball bingo is the varied patterns that can be formed. Unlike 90-ball version, which has fixed winning patterns, 80-ball bingo offers a multitude of potential patterns, including:
Having so many options make the game more exciting and amazingly, there are a possible 182,818,479,414,274,560,000 unique cards; that’s over 182 quintillion!
Originating in North America, 75-ball bingo has also seen its popularity grow online. The card for this game features a 5×5 grid, giving it a square layout. The word ‘BINGO’ is printed along the top, with each letter above a specific column.
The first column under ‘B’ usually contains numbers from 1 to 15. The ‘I’ column next to it ranges from 16 to 30, the central ‘N’ column covers 31 to 45, the ‘G’ column features numbers 46 to 60, and the final ‘O’ column accommodates numbers from 61 to 75. This setup makes life simple for players, allowing them to quickly find the column of a called number based on its associated letter.
One of the great things about 75-ball bingo is that the cards allow for a huge number of winning patterns:
Additionally, the centre square on the 75-ball bingo card is often labelled as a ‘free space’, providing players with a slight advantage right from the start.
What makes 75-ball bingo particularly appealing is its flexibility and the sheer number of possibilities it presents. Amazingly, there are a possible 552,446,474,061,128,648,601,600,000 unique cards; that’s 552 sextillion!
30-ball bingo, often called speed bingo, is a newer version of the game that has quickly become popular, especially online. The speed of play is ideal for those looking for a fast game that contains all the excitement of the more traditional variants.
The card for 30-ball bingo is very simple; a 3×3 grid. This means there are only three rows and three columns, with numbers ranging from 1 to 30. The first column will contain numbers from 1 to 10, the second numbers from 11 to 20, and the third numbers from 21 to 30.
However, 30-ball bingo doesn’t allow for a wide variety of patterns. Typically, there are just three ways to win:
The main attraction of 30-ball bingo is its fast-paced nature. However, even with its simple structure, there are still more than 2 billion unique 30-ball bingo card combinations possible!
The basics of bingo may stay the same in all versions of the game; however, the card design can significantly change the experience. Whether you enjoy the traditional 90-ball card, the fast pace of the 30-ball card, or something in between, there’s a bingo card to match every preference. Why not visit your favourite online bingo site today to explore these different styles of cards for yourself.
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