If you’ve yet to play bingo online, you might think of it as an old-fashioned game enjoyed by your grandmother. For much of the 20th Century, bingo was a hugely popular pastime across the UK, Europe, and the US.
After a period of dominance, bingos' popularity began to decline as new forms of entertainment came along throughout the 90s. Older players were not being replaced by the younger generation and it seemed as though bingo’s time might be up.
Then, just before the new millennium, bingo moved online and the playing field changed dramatically. Away from the old-fashioned halls. and conveniently accessed online, the popularity of bingo began to soar once more.
A decade later, smartphones offered the perfect device for playing online bingo and introduced it to vast new audiences. Today, it is an industry worth billions with people from all walks of life playing regularly all across the world.
Through innovative platforms like Monopoly Casino, casino bingo games have reestablished themselves as one of the giants of global entertainment. If you’re one of the few people who haven’t tried it yet, now is the time to get involved.
Bingo is an incredibly simple and enjoyable game but, like any new activity, it may be intimidating to the uninitiated. With that in mind, we’ve come up with a straightforward guide for getting started with casino bingo.
- The rules
The object of bingo is to mark off all the numbers on your card, or cards, as you hear them. If you’re first to mark a full line, two lines, or all your numbers (a full house), you win.
The numbers you seek are randomly generated from a determined set, usually 1-100, each card in a game is unique. These numbers are “called” at random, traditionally they are drawn from a machine but online bingo uses digital simulations.
You hear it, you mark it, and you win – it couldn’t be simpler. The name comes from the traditional cry of “bingo” used to claim a win, but online this is done automatically.
- The platforms
Type “online bingo” into Google and you’ll be rewarded with hundreds of competing platforms to choose from. Over time, you’ll find your favourite bingo provider and your favourite bingo games.
When you’re getting started, it's good to get recommendations from friends or existing players, or to read reviews. Many independent websites exist to offer unbiased and helpful advice about the best casino bingo platforms available.
Most importantly, check the website is secure and that the address bar features either https:// or a padlock symbol. With these in place, you can be reassured your personal and financial data will be handled correctly.
- Register
The first thing any casino bingo platform will ask you to do is register an account. This is for the security of you and others and should be a quick and simple process.
Typically, you will be asked to provide your name, address, and details of your deposit and withdrawal bank account. Other details may be requested, and other payment methods may be available, but the process should not be too intrusive.
Practice good internet safety and be sure not to provide any information you are uncomfortable with. In most cases, however, registration should be straightforward and with little difference from creating any other online account.
- Deposit
So, you know how to play, you’ve chosen your platform, and you’ve registered your account. Now it's time to make your deposit and start playing bingo.
Before you do, take a moment to check for any deposit offers or new player bonuses. With so much competition in the market, casino bingo providers almost always offer incentives to new players,
This can boost your playing credit significantly with platforms often doubling or tripling the first deposit amount. In some cases, free spins will be offered without a deposit, giving you the chance to “try before you buy”.
Any bonus will come with conditions, particularly regarding any amount you win, so do read the small print. We also advise choosing a sensible amount for your first deposit, a figure you are comfortable losing.
Once all that is done, you’re ready to go, and it's time to play bingo!
- Variations
You will discover there are several variations of casino bingo available online, as well as many different themes. 90-ball bingo is the most common, but 80, 75, and 52 are also available, alongside many others.
Gameplay is essentially the same in all cases, but cards and numbers may look different. There may also be more, or slightly different, ways to win when playing an alternate variation of the game.
Unlike traditional offline bingo, which is restricted by practicalities, cost, and logistics, it is easy for only providers to innovate. This means the choice of the type, theme, look, and feel of the casino bingo you play is huge.
Another advantage of playing casino bingo online is convenience. You don’t have to attend a certain place at a certain time, you can play whenever and wherever you like.
Online casino bingo can be a rewarding, entertaining, and social pastime for many different people, including you. The more you play, the more you’ll discover, and the more tips and tricks you’ll learn.
For now, all you need to do is start playing and, with this guide, that couldn’t be easier. Get started with casino bingo today and find out for yourself what all the fuss is about.