Winning patterns for bingo have expanded considerably in recent years. There are now hundreds of patterns that can lead to a winning card, but the patterns you use will depend on which variation of bingo you’re playing.
There’s nothing wrong with picking any online bingo game that catches your eye, but it’s far better to gain familiarity with a few common patterns before you dive in. Every pattern has different odds, so the more you know about them, the easier it will be to understand your odds of winning.
Versions of bingo
Before we explore the most common patterns, it’s important to note that there are two main types of bingo: 75-ball bingo and 90-ball bingo. We’ve covered the 75-ball version before, but the major difference is that 75-ball bingo is used in the US, while 90-ball bingo originated in the UK.
Both versions use cards with numbers arranged in a grid pattern, but the grid patterns differ in some significant ways. For example, most US games use a 5×5 grid with a blank central square, whereas the UK version has a 3×9 grid with four empty spots and five numbers in each row.
75-ball bingo can be played with one card, but you can purchase several cards/tickets per round. The 90-ball version tends to use strips of six cards per round, with each card containing a random combination of numbers.
Grid size and ball count can influence bingo winning patterns, depending on where you’re playing and which version you prefer. But there are still standard patterns that apply to all versions, such as single-line wins, for example.
Standard patterns
The most well-known pattern in bingo is a single line of marked numbers. Both the US and UK versions use one-line patterns, but only horizontal lines count as winning combinations in 90-ball bingo. In 75-ball, a filled line can go in any direction, be it horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
There are only three ways to win 90-ball bingo: a one-line win, a double-line win and a full house. A one-line win is a single row of matching numbers and a double-line win is two horizontal lines. A full house is when all numbers on a ticket are marked off.
On top of line wins and full house bonuses, 75-ball bingo has a wide range of preset patterns that can lead to a win. This is when the player has to form specific shapes on their card, such as letters and symbols, for instance.
When it comes to pattern-based wins, 75-ball bingo offers the most variety. 90-ball may have less winning patterns, but that doesn’t mean it’s less compelling. In fact, the slower pace makes it great for newcomers and players who prefer a more traditional format.
When you play bingo online, you’ll find that most bingo rooms use the 75-ball format. The lower ball count makes games quicker and easier to play, with more prizes and bonuses. The best online bingo games feature a diverse mix of winning patterns.
Modern patterns
Today’s bingo games provide a ton of options in terms of winning patterns. There are letter patterns, symbol patterns and geometric patterns. You can even get a win with any four numbers, no matter where those numbers lie on the card itself.
Letter patterns are used in nearly every variation of bingo. They’re formed using specific combos of daubed numbers, with the letters H, X, S, Z and E being the most common examples you’ll come across.
Symbol patterns can be absolutely any shape that fits on a 5×5 grid, from clocks and windmills to arrows and witches’ hats. Geometric patterns include shapes such as pyramids, diamonds and dotted frames. There’s even a pattern called layer cake, where the top, middle and bottom lines are combined to form a three-line win.
We haven’t even mentioned four-corner patterns, outside edge patterns or the hundreds of other unique patterns you can find. There’s no need to memorize every pattern out there because the main thing you need to know is that the host decides which patterns are used in any given game.
If you want to learn how to win at bingo, it’s a case of looking into the specifics of the game you’ve decided to play. This will provide you with all the info you need on relevant patterns and ensure that you aren’t trying to find shapes that don’t apply to your chosen game.
The patterns we’ve mentioned cover only the most common examples found in the majority of bingo variations. But there are hundreds of variations to choose from, which adds up to thousands of pattern combinations.
Ultimately, bingo in an online casino is a little different to the bingo halls of the past. Winning patterns are a mishmash of classic and new ideas, with each game having its own set of winning symbols, letters and numbers.
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