Introduction to Online Bingo

Online Bingo has been around nearly since the dawn of the internet as software developers sought new ways to entertain the computer savvy, but it wasn’t until 1998 that the first real-money online bingo site hit cyber-space. It completely changed the way bingo fans look at the game.

No longer seeking out live bingo halls with strict schedules and jackpots few and far between, bingo aficionados were able to go online and play bingo at any time of day, with card/ticket prices designed to suit any player’s wallet. Best of all, the prizes were real, cold, hard cash!

Now, more than a decade later, the online bingo industry has only gotten better with each passing year. There are hundreds of real money online bingo sites, each offering different promotions, game varieties and themes to attract players from all corners of the world.

Until now, Americans who played traditional 75-Ball Bingo may not have even been aware that there were other versions of the game. In the United Kingdom, however, the bingo game of choice is 90-Ball Bingo. While both are similar in the way they are played out, the 75-Ball Bingo Card design is much different from the 90-Ball bingo Ticket design, and the latter offers three prizes per game, not just one.

The introduction of online bingo brought the world a little closer together as players now have the option of playing whichever bingo game they prefer. In fact, a rather recent addition to the online bingo community is a game known as 80-Ball Bingo, though land-based players may know it better as Shutter-Board Bingo.

80-Ball Bingo is closely related to 75-Ball Bingo, but has only a 4×4 grid rather than 5×5, and there is no dauber. The shutter-board is drawn closed over all called numbers as the game progresses, and the first player to close all shutter-boards on their card wins.

Online bingo offers players a lot more opportunities to entertain themselves than a typical live bingo game. When all players are reaching their necks out to make sure they hear every last number called, marking their cards and tickets frantically, there’s not much room for having an enjoyable conversation with any of the other players. And besides, you would be limited to the players seated adjacent to you, or suffer the verbal wrath of those players if you shout across the room to a friend.

Online bingo not only brings the entire room of players together in a friendly, community chat, the software ensures that you miss no called numbers while you’re distracted in conversation. The auto-daub feature instantly and correctly marks all of your bingo cards and tickets, and even declares “Bingo!” for you if you win the game.

If you don’t enjoy conversing with your fellow online bingo mates, try playing some of the available mini-games while your bingo cards take care of themselves. You can usually play online slots, casino card/table games and/or video poker games in a small, separate window, either for fun or for real money.