A scary array of
links
So yes I have lots
of links, but they are useful, mostly <g>
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Play Bingo Online
Play Bingo Online. Almost all of you
reading this have played traditional or “offline” Bingo. You walk in to a hall,
you a pay a fee and get a certain number of cards for a certain number of games;
generally called sessions. More fees bring you more cards and/or games. These
games then run sequentially, one after the other.
In North America 75-ball Bingo is most commonly played. (You will often see
90-ball Bingo elsewhere.) Balls are numbered 1-75 B1-O75. The 75 numbers are
spread evenly over the 5 letters of BINGO in the following manner:
B 1-15
I 16-30
N 31-45
G 46-60
O 61-75
The game starts and these balls are pulled randomly from a bin and announced by
the Caller. If the number appears on their cards players mark it (generally with
a dauber, chips aren’t used very often anymore). In the example above, if B10 is
called you would mark B10.
When a player has a completed the pattern being played that game, they call out
BINGO! Their win is verified and the pot, prize or winnings, awarded for that
game.
Patterns and Game Variations
Bingo isn’t just straight lines anymore. In most sessions you play a variety of
patterns including 4 corners, 9-pack, hatpin, crazy T, L, U, firefly, dog,
coverall (blackout) and on and on.
Winning
There is a winner every game (except for progressive bingo, of course). Chances
of winning depend on the number of cards in the game and how many cards you are
playing. For example, if a player has 11 cards in a game with 1100 cards, the
chances of winning for that player is 1 in 100.
Payouts
Payouts are generally a function of how many cards are purchased for each game
and an algorithm for profit for the hall.
Online
Free, Subscription and Pay to Play sites.
Online is a little different. There are free, subscription and pay Bingo sites.
All sites will require you to set up a user account to begin playing. User
accounts usually consist of your name or username (online persona) and email
address. Sites that give away prizes or have the potential to send you checks
will want your mailing address and maybe a telephone number.
Free Bingo sites are advertising supported. That is why on some sites you have
to click on an advertiser banner to start a game, or, watch ads between games.
Annoying sometimes, but free.
On subscription sites you pay a flat time-specific (usually monthly) fee and can
play all the games that you want. You generally use your credit card for fees,
althought some sites take PayPal or other online payment options.
On pay Bingo sites you (generally) deposit an amount (there is usually a
minimum) and buy cards for each game you want to play. Because of restrictions
you will probably have to use an online payment service such as NETeller or
CentralCoin to deposit to a pay-to-play site. Each site will have it’s own
instructions.
Game Software
Online games tend to fall into two categories, (no-download) web-based or
download required (network-based). One difference is different types of internet
protocols, for the technically-inclined) Web-based games, generally flash or
java, you can generally play immediately after signing-up. Just click on a game
button and after a brief time loading, play.
Other sites use download-required games. You need to download and install their
proprietary software, launch the software and then you can play. They’re
generally more stable and have more bells and whistles.
See our section on Software Comparison for more complete information.
Winning
While winning the game is pretty much the same--you complete the pattern and
call Bingo-- what you get when you win varies widely across free, subscription
and pay sites.
Free sites very often pay in points that you can redeem as a discount on
purchase or use as a ticket to a lottery which pays in cash or prizes.
Subscription sites very often have a mix of free; some points for lottery or can
be used towards the purchase of an item, and pay; money is deposited into your
bank and/or checks are sent.
Pay sites. Jackpots are deposited directly into your account. Be sure to read
the sites’ cash out policy—some options fees are charged for.
Other differences:
· With web-based games you can play many different games, even on different
sites, at the same time. Software (some sites set limits to how many browser
windows you can have up), bandwidth (how fast and deep your internet connection
is) and how quick you are will tend to be your limits.
· Not all online game sites have a winner each game. Most pay games do.
· Sound. Some games have it, some don’t. More common on pay sites and network
games.
· Some games automatically daub called numbers on your cards, some don’t.
· Payouts are figured, as in online, to make sure the house makes a profit.
However, because of reduced labor costs online games very often have higher
payouts than offline.
There are a vast array of ways to pay/not pay for, and play, online Bingo.
That’s part of the fun! We hope to help you find the best and most fun sites for
you to play on.
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Free Online Bingo Games
Online Bingo sites
that give you
$$$ just to try them out. No risk, nothing to lose!
Shopping
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