With the rise of online bingo, and in particular mobile games in online bingo sites, this game’s popularity has been exploding. It has never been easier to play bingo, with people able to access games and start playing from their smartphones in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, while bingo was for a long time seen as a slow game enjoyed by retirees, the rise of online bingo has allowed for new versions of the game to be developed specifically designed to attract a younger generation of players drawn to a quick game of bingo.
So-called digital natives, those who have grown up with the internet, are looking for fast-paced games that they can easily fit into their busy schedules. In order to meet this need, a number of speed bingo games have been developed. They are mobile friendly, very easy to play, don’t require a huge time investment, and still offer the chance of big prizes.
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As with any new bingo variant, the game has its roots in the most traditional forms of bingo, 90-ball and 75-ball.
90-ball bingo is the dominant form of the game in the UK’s bingo halls. It is played with cards that have 3 rows and 9 columns. Each of the rows has five numbers and four empty spaces. The first column contains numbers from 1-9, the second from 10-19, the third from 20-29, and so on, until the final column, which contains numbers from 80-90. This creates three possible ways to win, completing a line, completing two lines, or a full house (marking off all three lines). Due to the large number of balls and the relatively limited number of ways to win, it means that games are quite slow.
75-ball bingo rose to prominence in America. Its card feature a 5×5 grid with each space having a number, except for the very centre one. This means that there are 24 numbers on each card. Very often, you will see the word “BINGO” written above the grid. The numbers 1-15 can appear in the B column, 16-30 in the I column, 31-45 in the N column, 46-60 in the G column, and 61-75 in the O column. Sometimes, 75-ball bingo is called “Pattern Bingo,” as the cards allow for many winning patterns.
For instance, there may be prizes for single lines that run horizontally, vertically or diagonally. There can also be prizes for completing shapes such as diamonds or letters. As there are so many winning patterns, it means that the game is much faster than 90-ball bingo. However, it is still too slow for some modern players, which led to the development of speed bingo.
One obvious way of speeding up bingo games is to reduce the number of balls involved and the bingo variant with the fewest number of balls is 30-ball bingo.
30-ball bingo uses a card with a 3×3 grid on it featuring the numbers 1 to 30. The relatively low number of balls makes the game extremely fast and straightforward. In the most common form of the game, a player needs to mark all nine numbers to win. This also helps speed up the game as you are not waiting for other players’ 1L and 2L wins. However, there are some versions that introduce more winning patterns.
30-ball bingo was developed for online play so it is highly unlikely that you will find it being offered at any land bingo halls. It is the ideal game to play when you only have a few minutes to spare and are looking to fill time, such as when waiting for a bus or for a friend who is running late.
There is one thing you have to be aware of. As 30-ball bingo is far faster than any other form of the game, you may find yourself playing many more rounds. While this means you will have many more chances to win, it also means that you will be buying more tickets, so be sure to budget accordingly.
If you enjoy playing with multiple cards, then you will find it far easier to do so with 30-ball bingo. Even though numbers are marked automatically when playing online, it is far easier to keep track of your cards when they feature just 9 numbers. It also frees up your brain to make the most of the chat rooms.
30-ball bingo has been around for a while now and it is commonly associated with the term speed bingo. However, it isn’t the only speedy bingo game available. Some websites and bingo halls create their own speed games. The most common way of doing this is to take a standard bingo game, such as 90 or 75-ball, and speed up the rate at which the numbers are called. This way a 90-ball game can take as little as three minutes and still offer players multiple chances to win.
You may well have seen sites and bingo halls offering Turbo Bingo or Turbo Challenge Bingo. It is offered on eBingo terminals at several bingo halls and also online. The numbers are called extremely quickly in these games, making them entertaining and exciting.
It is more than likely that your preferred bingo site offers some form of high-speed bingo. Next time you are in a rush but eager for a bingo thrill, it could be just the solution you are looking for.