Bingo is one of the oldest and most popular forms of gambling in the world, mainly thanks to its low stakes and highly social aspects. Although bingo can be traced back several hundred years, the modern game first evolved in New York in the early 20th century and quickly spread across the world.

There are two common styles of bingo played across the world – American 75 Ball Bingo and British 90 Ball Bingo. Although the basic game play of the two versions is the same, with a bingo caller shouting out numbers as they are drawn either electronically or from a tombola, there are some differences in the equipment used. 75 Ball Bingo uses a card which has a 5 by 5 grid of numbers and uses 75 balls, while 90 Ball Bingo uses 15 more balls and has a card which is set out in a 3 column, 9 row grid.

Players win at bingo by being the first to have all of their numbers called out. When a player wins, they generally shout out the word ‘Bingo’ to alert the caller to their claim. When the win has been confirmed, the game will either resume or restart depending on the house rules.

Bingo has always been considered a more social game than most other forms of gambling, and that remains true in the relatively new world of online bingo. Unlike most areas of online betting, online bingo websites often have a strong sense of community.

Aug 27 2010