Global Sports: The Two Main Variants of Bingo

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Two Main Variants of Bingo

By Johnny Smithwick


Since bingo was launched in its online avatar, it has become a craze and is now one of the most popular games amongst online gamers. It also took the game to parts of the world where had never been played before. Most importantly, it brought the two most famous versions of the game, the 75-ball and the 90-ball bingo, the former having taken roots in America and the latter in England.

Both these versions weren't played much outside their respective countries of origin until internet bingo made it possible for them to branch out around the world. These games can now be discovered in most sites including free online bingo and no deposit sites. Let us now look into each of the two types of the online game and how they are played.

The 75-ball bingo version, began in America, is played on cards with 5 rows and 5 columns. On the bingo board, you can see five columns named B-I-N-G-O, with each letter containing a row of 15 numbers each. When each of the numbers is called, they are striked off on the board. Players look for the number that has been called on their card and then mark it if they have it. To win the game, players must mark each of the five squares and call out 'bingo', which is when the game finishes.

Because the number of balls used is less than the 90-ball version, the game moves at a much faster pace and also is not as long overall. The same element also gives players higher probability of winning, as there are fewer numbers to mark.

The 90-ball bingo, is the British version of the game is played on cards with 3 rows and 9 columns, with each row containing five numbers each and the rest left blank. The rows consist of numbers between 1 and 90. Like the American version, numbers are called out and marked out on the bingo board and the players do the same on their personal bingo cards. Players can win either by marking a single line either horizontally or diagonally or by marking the whole card known as a 'full house' which has a bigger prize.

From the brief introduction to the two games given above, most of the differences between the two bingo games would seem obvious. Yet there are a few more that deserve a mention. One of the key differences between the two versions is that the 90-ball version has only numbers and does not use the alphabet to name any of the columns.

Another big difference between the two bingo games is that the 90-ball variation has many options for a win, where the 75-ball version has only one. The pace in a 90-ball game is a lot slower and there are fewer chances of a win since there are more numbers on the card.

Whatever the differences and similarities between the two versions of internet bingo, both are very enjoyable and can be found in almost all online bingo sites. There are some sites, however, that offer only one of the two games.




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