Betting on Bingo at Leading UK Sites
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Bingo is one of the most played betting games in the United Kingdom, both online and in land-based venues. Many of the country’s leading betting sites provide online and mobile bingo gaming to the masses. If you’re thinking of trying your hand at online bingo, you’re probably wondering where to start? Fear not, because this page has all the answers you need to start betting on online bingo in the UK today.
How to Play Online Bingo
Getting to grips with online bingo isn’t really any different from playing land-based bingo. In short, players purchase bingo cards, and those cards are laden with numbers, stretching from 1 up to either 75, 80 or 90 in most cases. Players win by checking off numbers as they are drawn, to form lines and patterns, or cover an entire card.
Unlike land-based bingo, you don’t need to be Johnny on the spot to quickly jab at cards with blotters. In fact, you don’t need to do a single thing. Online bingo games are automated, so all you really need to do is buy bingo cards. In some cases, you don’t even need to be signed in to play, as all cards are automatically checked when a game takes place, leaving you free to do other things.
Bingo Games
There are many different bingo games you can play online, but three tend to be more popular than the rest. If you’re going to be playing bingo online, it helps to get to know them a little.
- 75-Ball Bingo: This type of bingo games is popular in North America. It features 75 numbers, with cards arranged in a 5×5 grid, with the middle spot free. Players form wins by completing rows and columns, or by creating specific patterns or shapes on the grid when checking off numbers. Some of these include corners and diagonals.
- 80-Ball Bingo: 80-ball games are played over a 4×4 card and are the least popular of the three playable UK bingo games. Ordinarily, players can win by completing lines, columns or patterns, as with 75-ball bingo games.
- 90-Ball Bingo: Most popular with UK players, 90-ball bingo games ward prizes to players who complete a line, two lines and a full house (covering the card). These tickets feature five numbers per line, with blanked out spaces.
In most cases, the prizes you can win are determined by the number of people playing the same bingo game as you. The people are known as “roomies” because each bingo game you play takes place in a specific bingo room. Some of these games may, however, have special cash prizes and be played in a certain way. Let’s look at these special bingo games next…
Special Bingo Games
A variety of special bingo games exist and can be played at online bingo rooms. These will typically be played less frequently than regular games, perhaps even as little as once per month. However, if you’re going to try bingo online, it is worth knowing what they can bring to the table.
- 1TG/2TG Games: 1TG (one to go) and 2TG (two to go) are games which contain special prizes for certain runners-up. If you didn’t win but were just one or two numbers away from doing so, then you can pocket a small consolation prize in these bingo games.
- Coveralls: Often taking place a jackpot games, these bingo games require players to completely fill a card to win the top prize.
- Guaranteed Games: Most bingo games have jackpots which are determined by the number of players who have bought cards. Guaranteed games will always carry a specific pot to be won, no matter how few players purchase tickets.
- Free Bingo: Free bingo games are exactly as they sound. In most cases, these bingo prizes tend to be minuscule, often as little as a pound or two. However, you don’t have to pay a penny to play. Normally, these games are only available for new players or those funded players with money in their account.
- BOGOF Games: BOGOF stands for “buy one get one free” and these types of bingo games can consist of anything and everything. Their defining feature is that for every ticket you buy, you get a bingo card for free.
- Penny Bingo: Another type of special bingo game which has a very descriptive name, is penny bingo. These games cost as little as 1p per card, as you might expect.
- Speed Bingo: Often played with 30 balls or less, these “speed” bingo games offer rapid gameplay, and because of the heightened chance of success, the prizes tend to be smaller in value.
- Pre-Buy/Monthly Specials: Most bingo rooms have a special one-off monthly game. These tend to be where the big cash prizes can be won, and we’re often talking about hundreds if not thousands of pounds here. Players can often pre-buy tickets to these games, meaning that they do not need to be signed in when the game takes place to win. Monthly specials often cost the most to play, as they deliver the biggest jackpots. Daily and weekly specials may also be offered at bingo sites.
- Chat Bingo: Another popular type of bingo game is chat bingo. These games take place with bingo hosts or chat hosts. You can talk to them, answer questions and possibly win prizes while playing your favourite online bingo games.
Learn That Bingo Lingo
Bingo lingo isn’t as important online as it is in bingo halls and clubs. However, getting to grips with the vocab, such as BOGOF and 1TG, can help you learn about online bingo and become a better player. When signing up to any online bingo site, have a look for a bingo lingo guide, or an FAQ to make sure that you understand what chat hosts and promos are talking about.
Play at Top Bingo Sites
You’re almost ready to go. All you need now is to find somewhere to play online bingo. The UK has many hundreds of online bingo rooms active, but some stand out and are better than others. Things to look out for in a top bingo site are:
- Bingo games being run by a recognised network or provider
- A top bingo room should be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission
- It should offer quality customer support via live chat
- There should be a decent supply of bonuses and promotions, but they should also have fair terms and conditions with low wagering requirements
- A good bingo room will also carry an array of side-games, such as slots, for those times when you want to take a breather
You can peruse any number of online bingo rooms which fit the bill yourself. However, you may also wish to check out the bingo sites recommended on this page. Each has been checked, vetted and examined to ensure that it passes muster, and is one of the best, most reliable, fair and secure UK bingo rooms around.
What to Play When Joining the UK’s Best Bingo Sites
If online bingo sites only offered the same types of games that you can find in a bingo hall; they wouldn’t last very long. In the digital age, an online betting site must offer a plethora and multitude of different games, so players don’t go wandering. After all, if you rapidly got tired of playing bingo, and wanted to try your hand at slots, you’d end up joining a casino, right?
Most modern online bingo sites try hard to ensure that you don’t have to do that. As well as their main bingo games, many serve up a variety of other titles that you can choose to play, all under one roof and with a single account. If you’re thinking of playing at a UK bingo site and want to know what else is up for grabs, this is the page for you. Let’s look at all the top bingo and side-games you can expect to play at leading UK bingo rooms.
The Main Games – Online Bingo
Of course, where else should we begin other than with the bingo games themselves? Of course, you’re always going to have your basic 75-ball, 80-ball and 90-ball bingo games, as you will find at any bingo room. However, most online bingo sites also have a few other special bingo games which you may wish to look at. They include:
- Speed Bingo: A shorted, simpler game of bingo played with fewer numbers. This is ideal for those early birds who want to squeeze in a quick game either before, or on the way to work.
- Free Bingo: Free bingo games can often be found at UK bingo sites. Provided your account is funded, you can often play small jackpot games for free.
- BOGOF Bingo: Like bingo halls, online bingo sites often provide Buy One Get One Free deals on bingo tickets. These games are typically promotional, so you may have to look to spot them.
- Jackpot Bingo: Again like bingo halls, online bingo sites deliver their fair share of jackpot bingo games. However, unlike land-based venues, online bingo sites often deliver these top prizes every night.
- Chat Bingo: Chat bingo is an interesting type of games you can play online. They involve playing bingo, but also answering a chat host’s questions. You could win prizes for doing so in these games, in what amounts to part-bingo, part-pub quiz-style action.
Slingo – The Bizarre Craze Sweeping the Bingo World
Slingo is one of the newer concepts to appear at online bingo sites. As its name suggests, it combines elements of both slot gaming and bingo into one. It was first developed in 1994 and burst into the UK online bingo world in 2015. Basically, put, players have 20 turns to “spin” the numbers which appear on their bingo card. The more numbers they match (jokers are wild), the more likely they are to win prizes. Many of these Slingo games are affiliated with top slots from developers like Barcrest. Rainbow Riches Slingo is amongst one of the most popular to be found in UK bingo sites.
The Side-Games
There is no shortage of side-games at UK bingo sites, either. To keep you from joining a casino site, most UK bingo rooms now offer a variety of casino games on the side. These can include the following titles:
- Slots: Most bingo sites will typically provide around a hundred slots, with many coming from popular and top-tier developers.
- Table Games: The selection of table games at online bingo sites tends to be a touch smaller than their slot arsenals. However, it should still be possible to play roulette and blackjack and possibly even baccarat.
- Live Dealer Games: This is only just starting to take off in the UK online bingo sector. However, a handful of live dealer games include those mentioned above, as well as table poker, sic bo and money wheel games are starting to appear online, too.
- Instant Win Games: Instant win games are always fun to play. These require virtually no prior knowledge of the game to play and include keno, video poker and most certainly online scratch cards. The selection at most UK bingo rooms tends to be decent.
- Jackpot Games: When a bingo site advertises jackpot games, they are either talking about bingo games or slots. It is rare to see bingo sites offer multi-million-pound slots such as Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune, but a few of them have been known to do it.
Play Tournaments and Competitions
Most of the tournaments and competitions you will find at online bingo rooms tend to be bingo related. However, it is certainly not impossible to find a solid selection of slot and Slingo tournaments housed at bingo sites. The rules for these competitions will vary from site to site, but if you’ve grown tired of playing standalone games and fancy something different, tournaments and competitions could be the way to go.
What About Sports Betting and Poker?
Many of the UK’s biggest online betting sites aren’t tied to offering just bingo or casino games. Some of these sites also provide sports betting options and poker games, too. By not dedicating themselves to one game, they can appeal to a variety of players. This makes them considerably good value for money. However, you might think that these sites wouldn’t be able to offer you quite the variety of bingo games that a true bingo room can. That isn’t quite true. In fact, many of these sites (such as UK sportsbooks) run rather famous bingo rooms, and they are amongst the best in the business.
Should I Sign Up at an Online Casino, Too?
If your online bingo site has a decent array of side-games and you mostly spend your time playing bingo, there really isn’t any need to join a casino. However, if you think you’ll spend most of your time playing slots, then it may be worth looking for a domain which specialises in that but offers bingo games on the side. There are plenty of those available for UK players, too.
Bingo is something of a national pastime in the United Kingdom. After online casinos, there are more online bingo rooms than any other type of gambling website. You will frequently see advertisements on the television and at bus-stops, in magazines and more. With this kind of exposure and market, it is no surprise that there are many to choose from.
Not all UK bingo sites are winners, though. In fact, there are a few bad eggs thrown in to boot. How can you differentiate between the best online bingo sites in the UK and the not-so-good? Read on to discover what makes a great UK bingo site, and how our Squad can help you find the ideal place to play.
The UK’s biggest and best bingo sites
There are quite a few things which separate so-so bingo sites and the leading UK bingo sites. With our quick guide, you will rapidly be able to identify the difference between the two. Of course, security and safety are paramount, so let’s start there…
What should a leading UK bingo room offer me?
Like any type of gambling domain which offers their services to players based in the UK, a leading UK bingo room will by carrying a license issued by the UK Gambling Commission. They may also carry an MGA (Maltese) license or one issued of Gibraltar, Alderney or the Isle of Man. We wouldn’t put too much stock in bingo domains licensed out of Curacao since they are technically not supposed to accept players from the UK. Moreover, certification of fair play gaming through eCOGTA, TST or iTech Labs is also an advantage.
As well as a top bingo license which guarantees security, Brits are going to want to be able to play in English and with their favourite currency, GBP.
Banking options which are available for Bingo players in the UK
By and large, most UK bingo sites will offer leading payment methods. These tend to be banking options which UK players already use frequently and will include methods such as:
VISA and VISA Electron/Debit
MasterCard
Paysafecard
PayPal
Neteller
Skrill
and possibly mobile banking options such as Boku
The very best bingo sites do not charge players to withdraw their winnings either. Deposit times should be instantaneous, with withdrawal times taking no longer than 48 hours for e-wallets and 3-5 banking days for other options. Most UK bingo sites do not put a cap on the amount you can withdraw during any given period. They may, however, ask you to set a deposit limit so that you don’t get sucked in and end up with gambling-related problems.
Try your hand at UK bingo site games
There are several different bingo networks which can be found in the best UK bingo rooms. Playtech’s Virtue Fusion and Cassava’s Dragonfish Network are hugely popular, but so are bingo networks run by Cosy Games and Microgaming.
The UK’s leading bingo sites will be able to offer you 90-ball bingo, as it is the most popular form of bingo in the country. They will also likely carry 75-ball and 80-ball bingo for players who like a touch of something different. Expect to find plenty of free bingo games, BOGOF (buy one get one free) bingo, and monthly bingo specials. Speed bingo and other oddities and variants can also be found at the biggest UK bingo sites. A good bingo room will not only offer plenty of games, but they will also offer flexible ticket prices, and allow you to chat with other competitors and the bingo chats. In this manner, a community is formed, and often a tightly-knit one.
Keep an eye out for side-games, too. Many of the UK’s top bingo rooms will offer a full-on selection of casino side-games. These range from video poker to scratch cards, keno and other instant win games, to traditional casino titles such as baccarat, blackjack and roulette. However, the vast majority of casino side-games will be online slots. A handful of really top sites will offer progressive jackpot slots worth many millions of pounds, although it is more common for UK bingo sites to carry in-house slots with smaller prizes.
Bag a bonus at UK bingo sites
Bingo bonuses are plentiful in the UK. Of course, you’re always going to want to read the terms and conditions first before claiming any such offers. The UK Gambling Commission makes it mandatory for UK bingo rooms to display their Ts and Cs in full, so you know what you’re getting into long before you claim a deal. Wagering requirements should be respectable, and the end dates of offers should be clearly stated.
Amongst the many bingo promotions you will find at the best UK bingo sites are:
No deposit bonuses: A small sum of cash or free bingo tickets
Welcome bonuses: Cash bonuses which can be used on bingo, side-game or both games. This bonus is offered when you deposit.
Monthly bingo games: These tend to be the more expensive games you can play. You can often pre-buy tickets to these monthly games, though, which carry vast jackpot prizes.
Other bonuses: Loyalty deals and one-off bonuses are everywhere at bingo sites. Players can snap up free bingo games to win real money, bag re-deposit cash offers, find special deals on tickets, play chat games to win prizes, and earn points which can be converted into bingo tickets. Keep an eye out for a promotional calendar, too, as these frequently appear and often detail every promo the bingo site has to offer during any given month.
Need help? Contact bingo customer support
If you find yourself in a spot of bother or just want to pose a question, the best UK bingo sites will offer exceptional customer support. Support should be available around the clock, or within reasonable hours set to the GMT timezone.
The support staff in UK bingo rooms are friendly and efficient. They can also be reached via several different methods, including live chat, toll-free telephone (for UK players), e-mail and e-form. Some bingo rooms offer a call-back service and FAQ, too. No matter what method you go for, customer support is always free at the best bingo sites in the UK.
Play at these top UK bingo sites today
Now that you know a little bit about what the top UK bingo sites can offer you, it is time for you to get involved. You can, of course, play at any bingo site you see advertised on the television, a friend recommends or do your homework and pick one yourself. However, there are other ways to find a top UK bingo domain.
Here at the wise Squad, we critique bingo sites and grade them according to the checklist mentioned above. Any UK bingo site we recommend meets all or most of the above criteria. Why not check out some of our recommended bingo sites? We can guarantee you that won’t be disappointed with what you find.
Online bingo is hugely popular in certain parts of the world. If you happen to be based in the UK, for instance, barely a day goes by when you aren’t reminded of the world of online bingo, courtesy of television commercials and advertisements. If you aren’t yet involved in the bingo world, though, and you’re considering getting involved in it, there are a few things you may wish to know. For instance, you may wish to get yourself signed up at one of the best bingo sites on the net. With so many to choose from, you can afford to be picky. To help you get started, here at wise Squad, we’ve compiled a list of things to keep an eye out for when looking for top bingo sites.
The best online Bingo sites:
What to Look for in the Internet’s Best Online Bingo Sites
Obviously, there are certain perks to playing at the internet’s best online bingo sites. Not only will you be playing in a more secure site, you will also have access to a broader range of games, and more sizeable collection of promotions, and options which are ideally suited to where you happen to reside. We will begin by looking at each point in detail, so you can have a better understanding of what it takes for a domain to become a top bingo site.
Security: Players should not lower their demands when it comes to security and fair play. As mentioned, there is an ample supply of bingo sites out there, and nothing but the best should suffice. To that end, you’ll ideally be looking for an online bingo site which is licensed out of your country. If that is not possible, then a top bingo domain will contain licenses issued out of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Alderney, Kahnawake, Malta or Gibraltar. Curacao licenses can be decent, too, especially if you’re playing bingo in a country where online bingo gaming is limited at best.
Games: The games at bingo sites come in two formats, and each are usually provided by a different supplier. The bingo network is the one responsible for the actual bingo games your site carries, and you’re going to want to be on a good network. Top bingo networks and thus top bingo sites will be able to offer you access to at least 75-ball, 80-ball and 90-ball bingo games and numerous tournaments. In an age where there are so many sites to choose from, why limit yourself to just one type of bingo game?
The second type of games you can find at bingo sites are side-games. These include slots, and the odd table game. These are often not part of the bingo network, but part of a separate deal with software providers. Obviously, the bigger the software provider involved, the better the games will be. It may advantageous to look for a bingo site which features side-games from a host of different developers, though, as this extends the choices you have open to you.
Support and Services: The very best bingo sites will offer you easy (and free) customer support. This means that they will be able to offer you assistance via live chat, e-mail, and toll-free telephone at the very least. An FAQ (frequently asked questions) guide is also advantageous. As for services; players are going to want to be able to play in a currency which works for them (GBP, EUR or USD are the most common ones) and allowing players to deposit via a wealth of different options also raises a bingo site’s profile.
Promos and Bonuses: Bingo sites have arguably more promotions and bonuses than any other form of gambling sites. A bingo site with a wealth of promotions doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a great bingo site, though. You’re going to want to find a bingo site which not only has a lot to offer on the promotions front, but one that also has low wagering requirements for those promos and bonuses. Since you’ll be playing a lot of bingo (probably) a loyalty or VIP club is a must, too.
Get Started at Top Bingo Sites Today
Now that you have some sort of idea what constitutes a top bingo site, it is time to find one for yourself. Using our checklist above, you should be able to readily identify which sites cut the mustard and which don’t. Of course, if this sounds like too much work (and it can be), why not let the Bingo Squad help?
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