Bingo is a game that’s stood the test of time within the casino gaming landscape, but it’s not always been known by the same name, and it might not even always have the very same rules or gameplay.
Thanks to its universal appeal, Bingo has taken on different forms and variations that put their own spin on the core Bingo experience. You don’t even have to travel to find some Bingo varieties, with digital versions of the game available to players wherever they have internet access.
Whether you play Slingo online or are more used to a game of Housie, read on to find out more about how different this classic game can look.
US Bingo
It was in the US that the game of Bingo got its name. New York salesman Edwin Lowe used the name Bingo when he created commercial sets of the game, bringing it to the attention of an even wider audience.
Before Lowe, Bingo was known as Beano and featured at county fairs across the country. Players used beans to mark off numbers as they were called – hence the name – and aimed to be the first to complete a full card.
The US Bingo format features a 5×5 grid of numbers, with the central square often being left blank as a free space. Players can complete lines vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to progress towards a full house. Some games also count patterns when marking off numbers, with potential rewards for getting all four corner squares.
The other major feature that distinguishes US Bingo from other varieties is the number of balls used. There are 75 balls used in a standard US Bingo game, making for a slightly faster pace of gameplay than you’d see in some other major versions.
UK Bingo
Before the name Bingo was popularised, British players generally knew the game as Housey Housey. This version was likely based on the Bingo games that were played in the rest of Europe, descending from a 16th-century Italian lottery game.
British Bingo halls use a higher ball count than their American counterparts, playing with 90 balls rather than 75. 90-ball games generally run longer than others, given the sheer number of numbers and potential card combinations involved.
Another big difference with British Bingo is in the layout of the card. Rather than a square grid, the card features three rows of nine and players can only complete rows horizontally. The goal is still to be the first to get a full house, but the first to mark off their numbers on one and two rows are also recognized.
Australian Bingo
The Australian version of Bingo – known as Housie – is pretty similar to the UK format. It also uses 90 balls and features the same basic card layout.
Perhaps the main thing that sets Housie apart, other than its name, is the fact that it doesn’t use the Bingo lingo Brits are familiar with. Callers in Australia prefer to call the numbers straight, rather than using any of their older nicknames.
However the format might vary, Bingo is still a popular choice for many different types of players wanting to try a chance-based game.