Bingo Cards

The game of bingo is fascinating in its simplicity. At its heart, bingo is a lottery-style game. The specific numbers
depend upon the bingo game in question. 75
ball bingo features numbers 1-75, 80 ball bingo features numbers
1-80, and 90 ball bingo features numbers
1-90.  Each bingo game is played with a set of bingo resources such as bingo daubers and bingo cards. Today,
we’re going to take a look at how bingo cards work. Regardless of the bingo variant you’re playing, each
bingo card is designed in such a way that every player has a fair chance of winning a bingo game.

While randomness is assured, it is statistically impossible to print all the possible bingo cards for players. There
are simply way too many options. The nature of the game is such that there are seemingly endless number combinations
when it comes to bingo cards. The number-crunching probabilities for bingo cards will come into sharp focus once we
unravel the mechanics of popular games like 75 ball bingo, 80 ball bingo, and 90 ball bingo.

Stay tuned folks, it’s going to get plenty exciting!

What Does a 75 Ball Bingo Card Look Like?

75 ball bingo is the game of choice in the United States and Canada.  It’s an interesting game in the
sense that there are fixed combinations of numbers that are permissible in each column.  The letters B-I-N-G-O
actually represent specific sets of numbers. In 75 ball bingo, numbers 1-75 are available. There are 5 letters in
the word B-I-N-G-O, and that means there are 15 possible numbers in each column. Take a look at the
format for 75 ball bingo cards:

• B – numbers 1-15
• I – numbers 16-30
• N – numbers 31-45
• G – numbers 46-60
• O – numbers 61-75

On a 75 ball bingo card, you will notice that each column subscribes to these rules. You will never see numbers 1-15
in any other column other than that B column. Likewise, you will never see numbers 61-75 in any column other than
the O column. These rules are unique to this variant of the game.

Given the probability analysis of numbers in bingo cards, statisticians have calculated the probabilities of unique
B-I-N-G-O cards that are possible. According to calculations there are 360,360 unique columns for each of these
options. Things get extraordinarily more complicated once we multiply the 5 rows by the number of unique
combinations for every row.

The number that mathematicians conjured up is 552 septillion, or 5.52×10²⁶. Now consider how long it
would take you to print just one set of completely unique bingo cards? The answer is astounding – 17,000
years, or 200+ lifetimes for the average person. It’s more practical to calculate the number of winning bingo cards,
rather than the number of combinations of bingo cards that are possible.

How to Form Winning Combinations with 75 Ball Bingo Cards?

75 ball bingo cards consist of a 5 x 5 grid pattern with the centre square blanked out. This means that there are 24
bingo numbers on a 75 ball bingo card. Recall that each column (vertical orientation of numbers B-I-N-G-O) features
a set combination of numbers. This bingo rule is fixed with all 75 ball bingo cards. Usually, online bingo rooms and traditional bingo halls will sell bingo tickets in
a strip. A strip contains 3 bingo tickets. On a strip, you can expect all 75 bingo numbers to appear in different
combinations.

That means, if you look at each column B-I-N-G-O, you will see numbers 1-15 in column B, 16-30 in column I, 31-45 in
column N, 46-60 in column G, and 61-75 in column O. Of course, all these numbers will be mixed across 3 bingo cards.
Many bingo rooms allow players to buy as many bingo tickets as they like, although certain bingo rooms may have
limitations on the number of strips and/or tickets that you can purchase.

Be mindful of the cost per ticket and the total payouts possible in the bingo game. The payout should always be
substantially more than the cost of your bingo tickets.

Winning combinations on 75 ball bingo cards require that players complete specific combinations of numbers to form
patterns, coveralls, et cetera. It’s interesting the way jackpot bingo games are set up. If bingo rules state that a
coverall is required a.k.a. a full house, you may only be able to win the jackpot if you complete a coverall within
a set number of bingo calls. Usually that
number is 32 or less. That means that the bingo caller will call out 32 numbers, and if you can complete a coverall
of 24 numbers within 32 balls being called, you will win the jackpot.

Don’t fret – there are plenty of other ways to win in 75 ball bingo, notably horizontal lines (left right),
vertical lines (up down) or diagonal lines (corner to corner). In fact, if you get all 4 corners covered, you can
win too. The number of bingo patterns is limited only by the imagination of the bingo callers, the game designers,
and the players who are willing to set up home bingo games with
their own rules. When the winning patterns have been met, you will scoop a bingo prize. If multiple players bingo at the
same time, the prize is shared between winning players. At online bingo rooms, payouts are automatically credited to
players’ accounts.

What Does an 80 Ball Bingo Card Look Like?

In between 75 ball bingo and 90 ball bingo is another popular variant known as 80 ball bingo. It’s decidedly
different to the others, and it features a 4×4 grid without a centre square blanked out. What makes 80 ball bingo so unique is its
colour coded format. You will notice that the bingo cards feature red, yellow, blue, and silver numbers from left to
right. The following colour and number combinations are evident:

• Red – numbers 1-20
• Yellow –numbers 21-40
• Blue – numbers 41-60
• Silver – numbers 61-80

How to Form Winning Combinations With 80 Ball Bingo Cards?

In 80 ball bingo, there are several ways to form winning combinations. These include the single line options such as
are diagonals, verticals, or horizontal lines. Other options include completing 4 corners or a square, and the big
prize is won by completing a full house, known as a coverall. The more numbers you cover, the bigger the payday. Of
course, other factors need to be taken into consideration such as the price you pay per bingo card. The higher the
price, the bigger the payout. When you play guaranteed bingo games, there is a minimum guaranteed payout with
coveralls, vertical/horizontal/diagonal lines, or four corners or squares. It’s always a good idea to check
with the online bingo room, or bingo operator for the prizes.

What Does a 90 Ball Bingo Card Look Like?

90 ball bingo games are the home favourite in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and across continental
Europe. With 90 ball bingo, there are 90 balls in play. These are numbered from 1-90. As the original bingo variant
at UK bingo halls, this game is arguably the most
popular of all the bingo games available to players.

It is thoroughly enjoyed at online bingo rooms, and bingo halls. A 90 ball bingo card features a 9 x 3 grid. There
are 27 spaces on each bingo card, but there are blank spaces between numbers, or at specific points on each line.
That means there are 5 numbers per row and 4 blank spaces per row. Put differently, there are just 15 numbers on a
90 ball bingo card.

Things get really interesting when we break down the 90 ball bingo card into its core components. Since there are 9
columns and 3 rows, there are 10 possible numbers for each column. From the leftmost column to the rightmost column,
the following number combinations are possible:

• 1 – 1-10
• 2 – 11-20
• 3 – 21-30
• 4 – 31-40
• 5 – 41-50
• 6 – 51-60
• 7 – 61-70
• 8 – 71-80
• 9 – 81-90

It’s worth pointing out that 90 ball bingo plays out much more slowly than 75 ball bingo, since there are a lot more
balls in play.

How to Form Winning Combinations with 90 Ball Bingo Cards?

Unlike 75 ball bingo, 90 ball bingo games are played in stages. You can win by completing 1 line, 2 lines, or a full
house. Recall that a full house is the same as a coverall. In 90 ball bingo, you don’t have to complete 24 numbers
on the bingo cards, since there is a maximum of 15 numbers on a bingo ticket. A set of 90 ball bingo cards is made
up of 6 cards. This is known as a strip in 90 ball bingo. Bingo aficionados say that it’s best to buy a strip of
cards for 90 ball bingo, since this improves your chances of winning, as opposed to having just a single bingo
ticket.

Naturally, auto daubing functionality makes it much easier to manage large numbers of 90 ball bingo cards than you
would otherwise be able to at a land-based bingo hall. Therefore, it is fair to say that you have a better
theoretical chance of winning bingo online than you do at a traditional bingo hall. With 90 ball bingo cards, you
will note that each strip of cards features 5 numbers per row and 4 blank spaces per row.

If you buy a strip of 90 ball bingo cards, and you look down the strip of 6 cards, you will see that the first column
(the leftmost column) features numbers 1 to 10, with successive groups of 10 as you move from left to right. While
there are 27 squares per game, there are only 15 numbers per card. If you win one line, you win a prize. If you win
two lines, you win a bigger prize. If you win a full house, or a coverall, you win the biggest prize in the 90 ball
bingo game.

Jackpots in 90 ball bingo games are pretty substantial! For starters,
there are guaranteed minimum jackpots waiting to be hit. As the number of bingo players increases, so the total
contributions to the jackpot prize pool grow. For the jackpot prize, it’s necessary to complete a full house of
bingo numbers. In 75 ball bingo games, you can win a jackpot if you complete a full house within 32 balls. In 90
ball bingo games, the threshold is higher, since there are more numbers in play. The total number of balls for 90
ball bingo jackpot is 44, or less. Unlike 75 ball bingo, you
have 3 ways to win with 90 ball bingo – 1 line, 2 lines, or 3 lines!

How to Make Holiday-Themed Bingo Cards?

What’s great about bingo is that anyone can play the game. You don’t need to be a bingo head to enjoy bingo,
but it sure helps. No specific skills or strategies our
required, save for bankroll management, and a keen eye for details. If you’re playing bingo games at home, you will
need to take note of the bingo caller’s announcements. Be sure to doublecheck the called numbers against the
numbers on your bingo cards. If you play multiple bingo cards at home, and manually daub them, extra attention is
required.

Holiday bingo cards are incredibly popular nowadays. Halloween bingo cards are one such option available to players.
It’s really easy to learn how to make bingo cards for Halloween, since all you need is a ruler, a permanent marker,
and a couple of highlighters. For 75 ball bingo Halloween bingo cards, you can use numbers 1-75, and the B-I-N-G-O
format as listed above, or you can use Halloween-themed symbols.

These symbols include witches, goblins, full moons, black cats, amulets, witches brew, magic potions, ghosts, demons,
Halloween candy, or other symbols common to Halloween. It really depends upon your audience. If you play bingo with friends, you certainly
have more latitude than if you’re playing bingo at
home with the kids. Be sure to tailor the content to your bingo audience.

Love Island Bingo Cards are also popular nowadays. Love Island Bingo is unique in that it’s all about romance,
attraction, and sex appeal. As you can imagine, there are plenty of words, phrases, and options available if you opt
for this type of bingo card. Note that this game does not rely on numbers. In fact, most bingo games can easily
substitute numbers for themed words, phrases, expressions, or ideas. With Love Island Bingo, it’s all about meeting
your soulmate, suitor, or love interest. Some of the options are risque, others brash, crude, or in your face. It’s
really up to you to decide how to make your own bingo cards. Love Island Bingo is full of clichés, trite
expressions, and smooth moves. You get the picture.

If you don’t want to know how to make bingo cards at home, you can easily run a check online:

• Run a Google search for ‘print your own bingo cards’, or ‘free bingo cards
  online’, or ‘make your own bingo cards’, and simply print them out.
• For Love Island Bingo, there are plenty of options on the Internet if you’re a little short of ideas.
  Remember, this is an adult-style bingo game with topics best suited to mature audiences.

Key Takeaways from Bingo Cards

• The rules for winning bingo cards different from one game to the next. In 75 ball bingo, you can complete
  diagonal lines (corner to corner), horizontal lines (left to right) or vertical lines (up and down). In 75 ball
  bingo, four corners, squares, and coveralls are also possible. In 80 ball bingo, horizontal lines, vertical
  lines, diagonal lines, and coveralls are possible. You can also complete four corners. In 90 ball bingo games,
  there are 3 ways to win. 1 line, 2 lines, or a coverall.
• Bingo cards are typically sold in a strip. That means there are several cards per purchase. With online bingo
  games, these are automatically daubed (marked), so you can play and manage many more cards than you could at a
  land-based bingo room. The more cards you play (within your budget), the
  better your chances of a bingo. How many numbers on a bingo card depends on the bingo game you’re playing.
• It’s easy to calculate how many squares in a bingo card. 75 ball bingo features 24 squares (1 is gifted to
  players). 80 ball bingo features 16 squares, and 90 ball bingo features 27 squares, with 15 numbers.
• Various themed bingo cards are available, including Halloween bingo cards, Christmas bingo cards, Easter bingo
  cards, and so forth. You can learn how to make Halloween bingo cards at home. For adults, a particularly
  exciting play-at-home bingo game with close friends and lovers is Love Island Bingo. It’s full of different
  scenarios that can come up, with cliched expressions, risqué comments, and unique scenarios that may
  emerge.