Tips for Playing Online Bingo

By Cali Cutta
8-26-06

Bingo playing on the net has become so popular that those sites usually exist on their own. Many of them have great bonuses and match amounts, while others have progressive games as well. As in any other gambling site, check their rules before you commit yourself with money.

If you have never played bingo (is there anyone who has never played bingo?), the game is just a question of filling in five numbers in a vertical, diagonal, or horizontal row
and silently screaming to yourself as you push a button online, “Bingo!”.  There are patterns you can play, and some places will consider numbers on all four corners as a valid bingo.

As in any game of chance on the net, the odds of you winning are non-existent because each new game selects random numbers. Whether you keep the same cards or discard those and get new ones after each game is of little consequence.

When seeking out a bingo site, keep in mind that many of them require a download. Many of them ask you to refer others to them or link to your home page. All of them are businesses and therefore exist to make money, so it is  up to you to do homework before you invest your time and/or cash.

Many times you are allowed to play in several “rooms” at the same time.  While this is to your advantage in terms of quantity, if those sites do not have “auto daub”(they cover your numbers for you), you could lose more than your shirt.  At the same time, look for sites that may have auto-daub but you are required to “call” Bingo.

Sometimes bingo sites are free, but are associated with paying sites. Collecting so many points awards you “bingo bucks” to play on their sister site. Don’t  get too excited about this concept.

For example, at one site I know each member is allowed 5 cards only. While that helps odds-wise, the purse is determined by how many members are participating in each game (although the minimum prize is $10.00). This award is actually in cash, but it takes 3000 points to be awarded $10 to play at a gambling site, 7000 to get $10.00 cash and 10,000 to get $20.00. If you play in a  small room, you will win a couple of times an hour with luck. Let's see, that's 10  X 2 = 20/hr. I will let you do the math to figure how long it takes to get to 10,000.

Although online bingo sites can be just as profitable as playing in the “real” world, flashing cards just don’t have the same excitement. I often unwind at bingo sites
after a really bad day, and have met many people with which I have become familiar. Most of them also play at real bingo establishments and often come straight from them to going online.

This is a good place to mention that any gaming site, just like any chat room, includes proper etiquette and language. Writing in capital letters is considered shouting, mentioning other sites is frowned upon, and learn to use these shortcuts:

lol= laugh out loud
wtg = way to go
gg = good game
glng = good luck next game
tu4s = thank you for sharing (getting bingo with another person)

So pick a site, have fun, and don’t go over your budget. And heck, I won’t  even tell if you stand up and call out “Bingo” with only your dog listening.

Ed Note:  To give online bingo a shot, visit Party Poker and check out their brand new bingo site.