Americans have been playing Bingo for almost a century. The US version of this classic parlor game was invented in 1929 by Hugh J. Ward, based on an Italian lottery that dates back to the mid-16th Century. After establishing the game’s popularity on the carnival circuit, Ward patented his version of Bingo and published the first rules in 1933. Then a toy salesman named Edwin Lowe started producing sets of Bingo cards in New York, and by the time World War II arrived, the game was being played across the country.
Bingo is even more popular today now that it’s found a home on the internet. While this is one of the easiest games ever invented, there are many different ways you can play Bingo online right here at Cafe Casino. Our latest guide will show you everything you need to play online Bingo for real money, from the rules of the game to the finer aspects of managing your bankroll.
How Online Bingo Works
Online Bingo is a low risk/high reward game that’s easy enough for anyone to play. Bingo cards can typically be purchased for as little as a penny or as much as $10, making it one of the most affordable games in any casino. Even so, these small-scale stakes can result in tens of thousands of dollars in payouts. Some games even include progressive jackpots, where the prize keeps growing bigger until someone wins it all.
Bingo in the US used to be played exclusively with the standard 5X5 card, with numbers ranging from 1 to 75 printed in the individual squares – and the famous “free space” in the center. It’s still that way at the few live Bingo halls remaining today, but online Bingo has experienced an evolution in gameplay. Many newer games have unique themes and bonus rounds that make the experience much more engaging. For example, soccer fans love playing Bingo Goal because of the penalty kick bonus round. Have a look through our bingo selection and see if there’s a theme that speaks to you.
Even with these new bells and whistles, learning how to play online Bingo is still easier than most games, because there’s no real strategy to worry about – simply buy your cards and hope enough of your numbers are drawn to win. The only thing you need to do before playing is decide how many cards you want, how much to stake per card, and for some games, you get to choose the number of balls you want drawn. Three options are available, and there will be a reminder that fewer balls mean higher payouts and lower odds, while more balls mean lower payouts and higher odds. If you’re playing one of our special variants like Go-Go Bingo (more on these games later in our online Bingo guide), you also choose a color for your Bingo screen.
When you’re ready to play, a pre-determined amount of Bingo numbers will be drawn at random, one at a time, and any matching numbers on your card will be highlighted. The classic way to win at Bingo is to complete a row or column; other, more complex patterns can also be filled out, with bigger prizes awarded for the most difficult patterns to finish. It can be frustrating when you play online Bingo and you’re one number short of a big win, but many new games, such as Amazonia Bingo, include an Extra Balls feature. For a price that varies depending on how close you are to a win, you can purchase extra balls for a last chance to scoop up a payout.
Reasons to Play Online Bingo
There was a time when going to the Bingo hall was a regular social event. That time is long gone; Bingo halls still exist, but more and more people are choosing to play online instead – including the new Bingo Cataratas and Go-Go Bingo games at Cafe Casino. Here are five reasons people prefer the Cafe online Bingo experience to a brick-and-mortar one:
Smoking Allowed
One of the biggest reasons for the drop-off in live Bingo over the past decade is the spread of “no smoking” regulations. You can smoke at your leisure when you’re playing online at home.
Talking Allowed
This is supposed to be a social game, but live Bingo doesn’t let you talk to your neighbors much. It’s a social faux pas to chat while the game is going on, just in case people miss hearing their numbers called. You won’t miss a thing when you play Bingo at Cafe Casino. Talk all you want, and take as much time as you need between turns.
No Daubers Necessary
The dauber (or “dabber”) is the inking device people use to mark their Bingo cards when they play live. They’re kind of fun in a way, part of the ritual of live Bingo, but daubers are also an environmental nightmare and a potential health hazard. Stained fingers are a given at the Bingo hall – but not at Cafe Casino, where your numbers are marked automatically and error-free.
Game Variety
There are so many different ways to play Bingo around the world, but you can’t play them all at your local Bingo hall. In addition to the new Bingo Cataratas and Go-Go Bingo games, you can play the classic American and European versions of Bingo at Cafe, and you can use bigger or smaller Bingo cards while you do it.
More Bingos per Minute
Because everything is handled automatically, you’ll be able to play a lot more Bingo cards in a session at Cafe Casino than you would at the Bingo hall. Or you can take your sweet time – it’s all up to you. Start and stop as you see fit, and play anytime day or night. Bingo is available 24/7; just look under the Specialty Games menu for more.
Online Bingo Variations
To keep up with the demand for new Bingo games at Cafe Casino, we’ve added several new variants to our menu, alongside the classic versions. Each has its own spin on the game of Bingo; we’ll introduce you to these games in a moment, but first, let’s take a moment to look at the more familiar Bingo games at Cafe.
Classic Bingo Games
If you’re new to Bingo, try starting out with the grandaddy of them all: American Bingo. Also known as 75-Ball Bingo, this is the game most people stateside grew up with. European Bingo, aka 90-Ball Bingo, is also on the menu at Cafe, along with 30-Ball Bingo and 80-Ball Bingo. Try them all and see which ones you like the most.
New Bingo Variants
For even more excitement, try one of these five new Bingo games the next time you play at Cafe:
Amazonia Bingo
Play Bingo deep in the Amazon Rainforest with Amazonia Bingo. This game offers the popular Extra Balls features, a bonus round, and four unique ways to land prizes. Trigger the bonus round, and you’ll be brought to a section of forest that’s teeming with wildlife. Choose the critters you want to guide you around the forest; each one leads you to a unique payout.
Pesca Bingo
From forest to ocean, Amazonia Bingo gives way to Pesca Bingo – an underwater paradise. Schools of brightly-colored fish gather round the four Bingo cards, curious about the game. After each round of 30-ball Bingo, you’ll have the chance to buy more numbers in hopes of landing one of 12 winning patterns. One of the patterns triggers a round of “Go Fish” for extra coins.
Bingo Ribeirinhos
You may have to battle the Ribeirinhos people for those fish. This river village is fully equipped to catch fish – and payouts. After the 32nd ball drops, watch the fisherman deftly bring up extra balls from under the water with the use of his oar. He can get you 13 extra balls if you pay him enough.
Tribo Bingo
Ingratiate yourself with the tribe by displaying your Bingo prowess and archery skills in Tribo Bingo. This game boasts 10 winning patterns, an archery bonus round, and an Extra Balls feature that gets you up to 12 numbers if you’re short at the end of a round. You also get to play over a backdrop of grass huts and palm trees, which makes for a pleasant virtual get-away.
Bingo Goal
He shoots, he scores! In Bingo Goal, you get to experience what it’s like to be the world’s best soccer player – while playing Bingo at the same time. The best winning pattern you can land in this game is the bonus round, which lets you take a penalty kick for bonus cash. Other than that, you’re looking at an Extra Balls feature and 10 unique winning patterns.
Tips While Playing Online Bingo
Because there’s no skill necessary when you play online Bingo at Cafe Casino, it can be easy to get lost in the action and forget how long you’ve been playing. Schedule your Bingo sessions to last a certain amount of time, playing at stakes that are appropriate for the size of your bankroll. These games are meant for entertainment purposes only, so keep your sessions fun, end them once you’ve met your time goals, and come back later on to play some more Bingo when you’re ready. There’s always another game waiting to be played, so try them all out at your leisure, pick your favorites, and enjoy the thrill of playing online Bingo right here at Cafe.