90 And 75-Ball Bingo

Bingo Around The World

We’ve said that Bingo is an international game, and as a result, depending on where you play it, you’ll find that the game is subject to variations, such as cultural differences, name changes and the layout of cards.

90-Ball Bingo

In the United Kingdom, Australia and parts of Europe, Bingo is usually played within the framework of a 90-Ball set up. But don’t let this confuse you. All that this means is that the cards are set up slightly differently – the basic mechanics of the game are the same regardless of where you play. You’ll find that the cards are arranged in three rows and nine columns. Each row contains five squares with numbers ranging from 1 to 90. There are four blank spaces. Each column contains one, two or very rarely three numbers. There is no free square.

Calling

Just as with its North American cousin, 75-Ball Bingo, the caller opens the game by announcing a predetermined pattern and calling out randomly chosen numbers. Patterns may be either:

• line (covering a horizontal line of five numbers on the card)
• two lines (covering any two lines on the same card)
• full house (checking all the numbers on the card)

The last number called must be in the winning sequence. Be sure to call out, ‘Bingo!’ before the next game starts, as late notification will invalidate your win.

90-Ball Bingo gives players the opportunity to win separate prizes depending on what line they mark off. So, if you mark off two lines, you’ll win a different prize to what you might have won had you marked off one line.

75-Ball Bingo

Largely played in North America, 75-Ball Bingo takes its name from the numbers printed on the cards, with 75 being the highest. The game is played by checking the numbers against randomly drawn numbers announced by a caller. Cards typically have the traditional 25 number grids printed on them. Players play a five-in-a-row pattern, meaning that the first player to score a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line on their Bingo cards wins. More complex patterns are also judged as valid.

Players often play multiple cards for each game. Some brave souls may even play up to thirty at a time, no doubt aided by the superfast memory that Bingo players tend to develop!

No matter what style of Bingo you play, 90 and 75-Ball Bingo, or where you play, Bingo players all share one thing in common – a love of the game!

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