Although bingo is essentially gambling – which Money Mail would never recommend to readers concerned about taking care of their finances – it’s risen hugely in popularity in recent years.
And readers are increasingly asking us questions about beating the odds on lottery-style schemes, including Premium Bonds, the National Lottery and now bingo.
So in the spirit of having fun (and not making money!), National Bingo Game Caller of the Year Issy-Mae Hunt, 22, reveals her six tips to win the top prize. Eyes down for a full house…
How to take part
To play bingo in a hall, you need to buy a single card, typically for £2, although they are often sold in a set of five for £10.
Every card is different and has the potential to win a jackpot. Ninety numbers – from 1 to 90 – randomly picked by the bingo caller from a basket are shouted to the crowd.
Eyes down: TV star Gemma Collins was National Bingo Week’s mystery caller last year and the game has risen hugely in popularity in recent years.
Each player has a card filled with numbers and blank spaces. When a number is called that matches one on your card you mark it with an ink dabber.
Players must have crossed out 15 numbers on the card to get a full house – and shouted ‘bingo!’
The rules are the same if you play online but you download cards on to a smartphone app or laptop – or print them off.
The odds of winning bingo are far better than the National Lottery. According to BingoWebsites.org.uk, you have a one in 5,000 (0.2 per cent) chance of winning if you buy ten tickets for a 50,000-ticket national bingo game. If you bought ten tickets
from 30 million sold for a National Lottery draw there would be a one in three million (0.00003 per cent) chance of winning.
Do it on a Monday
More than three million people in Britain play bingo in halls and online regularly for the chance to win a jackpot of up to £100,000.
The fewer the number playing, the less competition you have. So playing in the week rather than at busy weekends could be a strategy for success.
Issy-Mae, from Derby, was voted National Bingo Game Caller of the Year thanks to the enthusiasm she brings to the game.
The Buzz Bingo caller hosts hundreds of games a week at halls nationwide and online and says teaming up in small groups can give you an advantage.
‘These days bingo halls are more intimate and offer a friendly environment with a sense of community.
Some people prefer to sit alone but you will typically find groups of two or three enjoying each other’s company – and working together to win by making sure no one misses a number. The quietest day to play is often Monday.’
Bingo Websites has crunched the numbers – putting five million game permutations into a computer – to discover when a bingo game is likely to end because a winner has been announced.
With just one player in the bingo hall, an average of 77 balls can be expected to be pulled out before bingo. With ten players it is 67 balls and for 50 it is just 62 balls.
The £50,000 jackpot with Buzz Bingo has happened 13 times this year – and on average it happens twice a month.
Better odds: The fewer the number playing, the less competition you have. So playing in the week rather than at busy weekends could be a strategy for success
Play nationwide
For the chance to win a big prize you need to play a game organised by a major provider such as Buzz Bingo – which has a £100,000 draw once a month as well as the £50,000 jackpot. Also look out for a member of the National
Bingo Game Association, whose members include Mecca Bingo, Majestic Bingo, BJ’s Bingo and Castle Bingo.
These groups all put money into a single pot so that if any of their players calls bingo after 16 balls or less, they win a £50,000 jackpot. This happens on average more than once a week.
Such payouts attract players looking for a life-changing win as well as those looking for a good night out where a standard win is likely to be no more than £500.
Save on night out
Bingo is attracting younger crowds due to its budget-friendly appeal.
According to Rank Group, which owns 52 Mecca Bingo venues, 44 per cent of its new customers last year were aged under 35.
Buzz Bingo, with 82 clubs, said half its 200,000 new fans were also under 35 Millennials and Gen Z-ers.
You might pay £20 for a fun evening playing bingo and just £5 for a glass of wine or beer – so it can work out cheaper than a round of drinks in a pub.
Traditionally callers had a cheeky phrase to go with the numbers. Times have changed, so ‘Two Fat Ladies’ for 88 is now ‘Will and Kate’, while ‘Time for Tea’ for 83 is now ‘Gluten free’.
Last year reality TV star Gemma Collins was the ‘mystery caller’ for National Bingo Week.
Get a good seat
Although bingo is a game of luck, there are things you can do to stand in good stead for a win.
Sit in a good listening spot to hear the caller, ideally facing forwards so you see what is going on. Miss a number or fail to hear a call and you could lose out.
Issy-Mae says: ‘You are there to have fun but with the serious business of winning money you must be quiet and concentrate on the cards.’
Cheap night: You might pay £20 for a fun evening playing bingo and just £5 for a glass of wine or beer – so it can work out cheaper than a round of drinks in a pub
It’s not science!
When it comes to improving odds of winning, Issy-Mae says there are a wealth of theories worth considering – though she still prefers the gut feeling of trusting to luck.
Joseph Granville was an American mathematician who studied the laws of probability. He found there is an equal chance of an even or odd number being called, as well as an even distribution of high and low numbers.
This suggests well spread out numbers on a card can boost your odds of winning. However, the reality is that the chance of a caller drawing any number from a basket is just the same.
Issy-Mae’s strategy is based on colour. ‘Pick your favourite colour to bring luck to your game.
For me it is pink. It is a vibrant happy colour that makes me feel good – and it also stands out on the card when playing bingo.
It might just be superstition but if you have a favourite colour then using it should at least do you no harm.’
Set a budget
Although there’s always a chance you’ll win, it is far more likely you won’t, so stick to what you’re happy to spend.
With online bingo it is particularly important not to play if you are in a bad mood, when you are more likely to waste money looking for a boost.
There is also a possibility you will start believing you are ‘due a win’. Remember, this is gambling.
Issy-Mae says: ‘Bingo is a game of luck – so if you are not winning then put it down to bad luck rather than poor playing skills. You should only play if you are having fun.’
She adds: ‘You might think your disposition can help you win, but I am always positive but tend to be unlucky at bingo.
‘Being happy does not improve your odds – but at least it means you can face losing with a smile.’
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