80 ball bingo is not quite as popular as 90 ball bingo or 75 ball bingo that’s a favourite across the pond. It lies somewhere between the two games and has elements that will appeal to all kinds of players. Bingo lovers who find 90 ball bingo a little long-winded, and those who consider 75 ball bingo to be a trifle too traditional are going to enjoy 80 ball bingo, as it offers something just a bit different. It was first introduced to bingo lovers in land-based bingo halls before it moved online. And was originally called shutter board bingo, as shutters were used to cover the numbers as the dealer called them out.
The layout and pattern of 80 ball bingo tickets
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80 ball bingo cards are laid out in a 4×4 grid, containing 16 numbers in total. The four columns are coloured red, yellow, blue and silver. The numbers are divided into each of the four colours, with 20 numbers in each group:
- Red column – numbers 1 to 20
- Yellow column – numbers 21 to 40
- Blue column – numbers 41 to 59
- Silver column – numbers 60 to 80
How to play 80 ball bingo
It seems that 80 ball bingo has become very popular in recent times and many online bingo sites are adding it to the menu. A variety of different patterns are used in order for a player to win. The most obvious are from side to side, with most sites paying out for a full house as well. Alternative patterns include diagonal bingo, horizontal bingo, four corners, blackout bingo, BigX, vertical bingo and centre square. We could add an explanation of these patterns but they really speak for themselves.
The game begins when players have bought their cards. This is done by simply selecting them and purchasing them by clicking on the buy tickets button. The dealer then starts calling out the colours and numbers randomly and these are displayed on the call board. The number is always called out before the number. For example, Red 19, Blue 45. The player who is able to mark off numbers in a pre-determined pattern first is the winner of the game. It’s often the case that sites offer opportunities to win top prizes by linking this particular bingo game to progressive jackpots. This means the prize pool increases every time the game is played. It’s also often the case for this bingo variant to offer guaranteed jackpots.
Winning an 80 ball bingo game prize
You don’t actually have to mark the numbers on your card in order to be a winner. The bingo game system is able to automatically identify a winner, and the information is always published on the website as the game unfolds. It’s possible for there to be more than one winner, with the same pattern being marked off at exactly the same time. In this kind of scenario the prize is split equally between the winners, and the winnings get deposited directly into a player’s account. The payout of these games depends on the price of the tickets and how many participants there were. The higher the ticket price and the greater number of players the bigger the amount of prize money to be won.
Tips for playing 80 ball bingo online
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- Read and understand the rules
This tip applies to all online bingo games, not just 80 ball bingo. The games may be played much the same way across all sites but each will have their own set of rules and ways of operating. If you read the rules there should be no problems and you won’ have to worry about doing something wrong or making a mistake. If there is anything you don’t understand, contact the sites customer support and ask for clarification.
- Keep an eye out for special promotions
Each bingo provider will have their own set of games and promotions. These may include buy one get one free promotions or guaranteed prize pools. But also be very wary of any wagering requirements as these will affect your ability to withdraw any winnings.
- Buy multiple cards
This will increase the odds of you winning. It will of course affect your budget so remember to take this into consideration.
- Don’t ignore the inexpensive games
If your budget is tight don’t discount the cheaper games. Almost every provider will have a few of them running at any one time. Playing the cheaper games means you can take part in more games and increase your chances of winning overall.
Other Bingo Games
Time for another lesson in the lingo of bingo
A lesson in bingo lingo for beginners – Part Two:
- Daubers – Something that’s used to mark the squares of a bingo card when a number has been called
- Deposits – This refers to the money a player adds to their bingo account and provides funds for the bingo games
- Deposit bonuses – An amount of money that is paid when a player makes a deposit
- Early Bird Game – Games that take place before the traditional bingo schedule starts
- Free bingo – Games that cost nothing to play and often have a cash prize
- Four corners – This is a winning pattern where the corner numbers need to be covered
- Full house – This is when a player is able to mark all the numbers on their bingo card
- Game room – These form part of the online bingo site and are often named around the sites theme
- Guaranteed jackpot – The minimum amount of money a player can win
We’ll be bringing you more bingo lingo, so you never have to feel everyone else is speaking a different language.