The British Version of Bingo
By: TOM GOULDIN

The British and the American versions of bingo both evolved from the same source, the Lo Giucco del Lotto D’Italia, but the American version is based on seventy-five numbers and the British version is based on ninety numbers. This results in a different shape of the ticket and a difference in the special games that can be played.

The ninety number version of bingo is played on a ticket that consists of nine columns and three rows, with five numbers in each row with the rest of the line left blank. The first column contains a selection of numbers from one to ten; the second column contains a selection from eleven to twenty; the third column contains a selection from twenty-one to thirty; the fourth column contains a selection from thirty-one to forty; the fifth column contains a selection from forty-one to fifty; the sixth column contains a selection from fifty-one to sixty; the seventh column contains a selection from sixty-one to seventy; the eighth column contains a selection from seventy-one to eighty; the ninth column contains a selection from eighty-one to ninety. There are no letters used in the game. The ticket consists of three lines with fifteen numbers.

Tickets come in different colors for different bingo games. They can be purchased in single books or in multiple books. The ticket colors are gold, lime, violet, yellow, pink, grey, orange, blue, red and white. A single book consists of ten tickets, one of each color. If a player wants more than ten tickets, she can purchase a multiple book which consists of sixty tickets, with six cards of each color. If players want extra tickets, they can buy flyers. These are single sheets of six cards. The player can select the color for the flyers.

A regular bingo consists of one line. Special games are played for two or three lines. Covering three lines is called a full house or housie. The British version does not allow for the playing of patterns due to the rectangular shape of the playing grid. This means there is not as much variety in the British version of the game. However, there are still progressive jackpot games and other novelties that are added to keep the games interesting. The British version is played in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia. Online bingo sites can offer either or both of the versions.

For more information about British Bingo and where to play, check out Unluckyforsome.co.uk, they have online bingo tips, news, reviews and free bingo bonus offers.

Fernando Alonso and the Canadian Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso won last Sunday his 4th consecutive race giving him the conquest of the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix. For Alonso who runs for Renault was an easy victory since he started from the pole and only had a brief challenge from the Finn Kimi Raikkonen at the beginning of the race but Alonso held off Raikkonen’s attempt to pass him in the 12th lap. Alonso's final margin of victory was only 2.1 seconds Raikkonen had problems in the pits while changing the right rear tire . . .

Return to Index