90-ball bingo is the original version of the classic game of chance that’s been around since the 60s. Featuring 3×9 bingo cards and offering players three ways to win, it’s no wonder it’s been the favourite format for countless players over the years.
Yet whether you prefer to go to your local bingo hall or play online bingo on your computer or phone, it’s easy to get tired of 90-ball bingo if you’ve played it over and over again. But don’t worry, there are plenty more exciting variants of the game you can use to switch things up.
So, what are they?
In this article, we’ll share three alternatives to 90-ball bingo. However, before we discuss three popular alternatives to the 90-Ball Bingo, let’s first understand the basics of the 90-Ball Bingo.
About 90-Ball Bingo
90-Ball Bingo is the most common and popular type of bingo, played all around Europe. In this variant, you will find that the bingo cards or tickets come in strips of 6. There are 90 numbers in every ticket distributed in the six strips. Every strip has 9 columns and 3 rows and every row has 9 squares to display 5 numbers randomly, from 1 to 90. The last 4 squares remain vacant.
There are three winning patterns in the 90-Ball Bingo which means you have three opportunities to win. To win the game, you have to complete one or two vertical or horizontal lines. You will also have different prizes for different winning patterns. When you complete a horizontal row or vertical row first, you become the first winner. The second winning pattern involves completing two horizontal or vertical rows. The third and final pattern involves completing a full house or every single number on your card. When you complete the entire house, you get the jackpot prize.
Alternatives to 90-Ball Bingo
I. 80-Ball Bingo
This popular bingo variant involves 80 numbers. It’s designed to be a more exciting and fast-paced version of the game. The cards have 4×4 grids with no blank spaces in this format, giving players a total of 16 spaces for numbers. 80 numbers are divided into 4 groups of 20: 1-20, 21-40, 41-60 and 61-80. Each group has its own corresponding colour: red, yellow, blue and silver, respectively. When the ball is drawn, both the number and the colour are called to help players spot the numbers on their ticket more quickly. This helps to make things simpler and speed up the game. This bingo variation involves very few popular winning patterns, such as single numbers, even single numbers, horizontal lines, vertical lines, and four corners.
II. 75-Ball Bingo
Bingo is mostly played in the UK. Yet different forms of bingo have broken into the USA over the years. This is especially true of 75-Ball Bingo, sometimes this is also called pattern bingo or American Bingo as this bingo game is mostly popular in the USA and Canada. This variation involves 5 columns that randomly represent the numbers ranging from 1 to 75, where every column represents five numbers randomly from 15 numbers. Bingo cards display a 5×5 grid with a total of 25 squares, 24 of which contain numbers. The centre square is automatically marked off, giving players a head start. To win, you need to complete a special pattern that’s pre-determined at the start of the game. There are more than 300 different patterns now available, some of the most popular being a ‘double line’, an ‘X’ and a ‘blackout’.
III. 30-Ball Bingo
30-ball bingo is the fastest and most exciting way to play, which is why it’s also known as speed bingo or rapid bingo. Although 30-ball bingo was first played in bingo halls, it became truly popular when online bingo sites came onto the scene. The bingo cards feature 3×3 grids for a total of just 9 numbers from 1-30. The rules are incredibly simple: the first person to get a full house wins. It’s an intense race against the clock, which is most ideal for players who like to play multiple games quickly, so they have more chances to win. This game is popular for the high player involvement.
80-Ball Bingo, 75-Ball Bingo, and 30-Ball Bingo are the three most popular alternatives to 90-Ball Bingo. The major differences between any two Bingo variations are columns, rows, and squares; the number of balls; and the winning patterns. Which of these alternatives to90-Ball Bingo will you play first? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
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