Bingo is a game that has been enjoyed all over the world for a long time already. It’s no surprise that bingo made a smooth transition to the online gaming scene, but the level of popularity it has gained is quite impressive. Today, online bingo thrives and there are lots of great bingo rooms to choose from.
As Canadians, we have access to a wide variety of bingo services and playing bingo can be a great way to unwind, meet new friends, and of course win prizes. If you’re new to the world of online bingo, this article will hopefully provide a useful introduction to what it’s all about.
How to Play Online Bingo
- Join an Online Bingo Site
As a beginner, you might be hesitant to start playing bingo with real money. That’s not a problem. Just signing up to an online bingo room won’t cost you a thing, and you’ll even be able to try out some of the games. Of course, until you deposit and buy real cards you also won’t be eligible to win real money, but you can always do that at a later stage. When choosing a bingo room, always look for well-reviewed sites and don’t ever give out your personal or financial details. Any transactions you need to make can be done via secure payment methods.
- Understand the Main Bingo Screen
After logging into your new bingo account you’ll be taken to the main screen, sometimes known as the lobby. Here, the different bingo rooms will be listed along with the card prices and number of players currently in the room. Pick whichever room suits you. If you’re just getting a feel for the bingo experience, it might be better to choose a room with lower card prices. A big part of bingo is the chat feed. The rooms with a lot of players will have a fast-moving chat feed so keep that in mind. Some rooms have very quirky rules that may take some time to get used to. Every bingo site has a page listing the rules for every game so just read up on the rules and don’t worry if you don’t know what’s going on at first.
- Buy your Cards/Tickets
In online bingo, you can select the bingo cards with numbers you like. Just click the cards that catch your eye, or have any of your lucky numbers on them.
- Let’s Play some Bingo!
The bingo game will open up showing your cards in the center of the screen. A board with all the called numbers will appear either at the top or the bottom, and the chat window will usually be on the side of the screen or at the bottom. To chat, just type in your message and hit enter. Because bingo games are communal, you might have to wait for the current game to end before you can join in the next one. Once a fresh game begins, you’re on your way. Good Luck!
What is Auto-Daub in Online Bingo?
With the original “old-school” bingo, you’d have to manage all your cards and use a special marker called a dauber to mark off the called numbers, trying not to miss any numbers. In online bingo, this process is much simpler. By default, the auto-daub function will be selected which means that if a called number appears on any of your cards, it will automatically be marked up. This makes playing bingo much more stress-free and the great thing is that when you hit bingo, the system announces it for you. You never have to worry about missing out on a win, or falsely claiming one. If you prefer marking the numbers yourself, just click the auto-daub button.
Online Bingo Bonuses
Almost all online bingo rooms will offer some type of bonus as a sign-up reward. While these bonuses are usually small amounts, they can pay for a few cards and can be a nice way to start your bingo adventure. Look for bingo sites that offer no-deposit bonuses so that you can get a feel for the software without having to spend any money. Some rooms also offer “buy one, get one free” deals which can also be useful. Always read the terms and conditions of any deal you are interested in.
Online Bingo Lingo
If you haven’t ever seen a bingo chat feed, you might be a bit confused when you enter one for the first time. A lot of the messages that the different players write will be abbreviations or weird unfamiliar terms. This slang is sometimes known as bingo lingo.
For example, when a game begins, you might want to write a message to your buddies like “GL”, which stands for “good luck”. Bingo lingo isn’t only about friendly banter though. Some bingo games have special rules that allow you to earn extra prizes by typing specific words in specific circumstances. This is why it’s important to read about the rules of each bingo room. Besides hitting the grand prize, there are usually other ways to earn money by playing a bingo game so don’t miss out.
What’s an Online Bingo Chat Master?
A chat master, or “CM” in bingo lingo, is the person in charge of a bingo room. Chat masters make sure that people are being nice to each other and that everybody knows what’s going on. Chat masters are also responsible for handing out special prizes. Respect your CM!
In Conclusion
Online bingo is a great way to meet new people, unwind after a long day and win cash and other prizes. It’s a whole world waiting to be discovered with its own language and rules. Bingo players are generally very friendly and always looking for a good laugh. The whole social aspect of the game is great and playing in the popular rooms that offer the big cash prizes can really get thrilling. If you haven’t experienced the world of online bingo, give it a try. The variety of card prices make this game very accessible for players not looking to spend too much money at once, but who are instead looking for a fun way to relax and perhaps win some prizes. Online bingo can also be played on mobile devices so you can play from any location, and at any time of day.