The Ultimate Guide to Playing Bingo at Online Casinos in South Africa

The history of bingo traces back to 16th-century Italy as “Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia,”  which translates to "The Game of the Italian Lottery." 

When playing bingo online, you'll notice that it's fast-paced, social, and easy to play, making it ideal for casual players and aficionados. 

That said, bingo is gaining traction in the online South African market as the iGaming population grows, with the best online casinos in South Africa offering bingo games.

If you have never played bingo before, it's super easy to learn, which is why I love playing it. Here’s how to play bingo:

How Bingo Works

Bingo is essentially a game of chance. You'll get a card with a grid of numbers, similar to a lottery ticket, and you need to mark off these numbers as they are randomly drawn.

The goal of bingo is to match a specific pattern, such as a straight line, four corners, or a full card, before anyone else does. If you complete the pattern, you call out "Bingo!" and win the round. This applies when playing bingo at a community hall or land-based establishment.

How Bingo Online Works 

Now, when it comes to playing bingo online, I'm glad to tell you that it's even easier since the game automatically marks off numbers for you. That said, you can also play multiple cards at once, with some casino games including jackpots and special bonus rounds.

You'll even find live dealer bingo available at many online bingo casinos. In the live dealer format, the host calls out the numbers in real-time, making you feel like you're in an actual bingo hall.

How to Play Bingo Online?

1. Head over to an online bingo casino and click on the game you want to play.
2. Set the game to auto-dab (optional), so you don't need to check numbers manually.
3. Click "Place Bet", and the computer will generate numbers randomly.
4. The game will automatically mark off any matching numbers on your board.
5. Keep playing until you reach five numbers in a row, which could be horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
6. If you complete a line, you've won bingo! There's nothing stopping you from resetting and playing again.

I've had the privilege of playing bingo both in person and online, and honestly, I love the social aspect of it. It's not only fun but also low-pressure, and sometimes I hit a nice win.

What You Need to Know Before Playing Bingo

Before you start playing bingo, you should be aware of a few basic rules that will make the game more fun and less confusing. However, it’s all fairly simple, as I explain below.

Game Elements
Here are the key aspects of a bingo game, from the basic factors to the features that boost overall engagement:

• Bingo card: Your card is basically a grid of numbers. Different versions of bingo have different grid sizes, but the most common one is 5x5 with a free space in the middle.
• Called numbers: Numbers are randomly drawn, and you mark them off on your card. Some games highlight the numbers automatically, while in live bingo, you have to listen and find them yourself.
• Patterns: To win, you need to complete a specific pattern. This could be a straight line, diagonal, four corners, or even a full card (called a blackout).

How It Works & What Matters
Here's a breakdown of how bingo works and the key factors that can affect your gameplay:

• Understanding the card layout: Knowing how to read your card helps you spot numbers quickly so you don’t fall behind. If you’re playing online, the game marks numbers for you, so no stress there.
• Different bingo variants: Some games use 75 balls, others use 90, but the rules are basically the same, but the grid layout and patterns can change.
• Speed of play: Online bingo can be fast, especially if you play multiple cards at once, so knowing how the game works ahead of time helps a lot.

Basic Rules & Terms You Should Know
These are the basic rules and terms you should be aware of when playing online bingo:

• Auto-daub: If you’re playing online, this means the system marks numbers for you, so you don’t have to.
• Jackpot Bingo: Some games have a bigger prize if you hit bingo within a certain number of calls.
• Live dealer bingo: A real host calls numbers in real time, making it feel like an actual bingo hall.

There are multiple versions of bingo. While the card layout changes depending on the specific bingo version you're playing, the basic concept is the same.

75-Ball Bingo
75-ball bingo is the most common bingo version played. You'll find the numbers displayed on a 5x5 grid.

90-Ball Bingo
90-ball bingo is another popular version, second only to 75-ball bingo. This version is played on a three-row card containing nine columns.

80-Ball Bingo
Some online casinos offer 80-ball bingo, which is a mix between 75-ball and 90-ball bingo.

Multiplayer & Single-Player Bingo
Multiplayer bingo is where you play against other players in real-time. However, if you prefer playing solo, many sites offer single-player bingo, where you compete against the system or the house.

Live Dealer Bingo
Live dealer bingo is another exciting option, taking place in real-time with a host calling out the numbers. It’s one of the most interactive versions of bingo.

My Favorite
75-ball bingo is still my favorite version of bingo. This is mainly because it's easy to follow, fast-paced, and has loads of winning patterns to keep things exciting.

The following strategies will help you stay ahead of your bingo game:

Basic Bingo Patterns
These are the winning bingo patterns you should know about:

• One line: All you need to do is strike off a straight line of numbers, either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. This is probably the easiest win.
• Two lines: This is more or less the same idea as one line, but here you'll need to strike off two full lines on your bingo card.
• Full house (Blackout): This is when you strike out every single number on your card, and it's the ultimate bingo win.
• Four corners: Instead of striking lines, you need to strike off four numbers, one in each corner of your card. It's often a faster way to win in some bingo games.

Complex Bingo Patterns
These bingo patterns are a bit more complex than the ones I’ve explained above. Let’s take a closer look at them below:

• Letter X: Here, you'll need to strike numbers that form a big X on your card. That means one diagonal from top left to bottom right and another from top right to bottom left. If your winning numbers form a big X, you win.
• Pyramid: Here, you strike numbers that start wide at the bottom and get smaller as they go up, much like a triangle or pyramid.
• Outside Edge: With this bingo pattern, you'll strike off the entire border of your card, similar to a picture frame.
• Arrow: As the name implies, you'll need to strike off numbers to form the shape of an arrow on your card. This usually looks like a straight line with a small triangle at the end, pointing in one direction.

Some online bingo games also add colors, themes, or slot-style mechanics to patterns, so pay attention to the rules.

Granville’s Method
This is also called the balanced card strategy, and it's all about picking a bingo card with a good mix of high and low numbers, even and odd numbers, and different last digits.

• Choose cards with a mix of high and low numbers.
• Pick an even mix of odd and even numbers.
• Try to balance numbers ending in 0-9 across your card.
• Works best in randomly drawn games with even number distribution.

Tippett’s Method
This method is based on the idea that the longer a bingo game continues, the more likely the winning numbers will be closer to the middle of the number range. So you pick your cards based on how long you think the game will last.

• For long games: Pick cards with numbers close to 38 (in 75-ball bingo).
• For short games: Choose cards with more numbers near 1 and 75.
• Helps when choosing the right bingo card based on game type.

Our Bingo Tips
These are our recommended bingo tips:

• Play when fewer people are online to increase your chances.
• Use auto-daub to play multiple cards without missing numbers.
• Look for jackpot games and bonus rounds for bigger wins.
• Adapt your strategy based on game mechanics and special features.

Free bingo lets you sign up at an online bingo casino and play bingo without spending any money. Even though you’re not paying, you can still win cash prizes.

If you're new to bingo, this is a good way to learn the rules and get the hang of the game without risking any money. You can practice and enjoy playing with others.

Real money bingo means you have to pay to play, like buying a bingo card. Unlike free bingo, real money bingo lets you join more games, try out different strategies, and have a better chance of winning.

Simply put, in real money bingo, the prize pool comes from player buy-ins (the money people pay to enter), while in free bingo, the bingo casino provides the prize money.