If you are wondering how to pass the time over the winter months, a game with a near 500-year history could be the answer to your prayers.
Whether you play in land-based venues or via online sites, bingo is one of the best forms of entertainment around.
For anyone prepared to brave the cold, there are numerous places you can play bingo in Missoula including the Annual Turkey Bingo event staged in aid of The Max Wave.
However, for many people, bingo is a game to be enjoyed in the comfort of their own home, and there are some great games available to play online.
The best sites offer players no deposit bingo bonuses, allowing you to play the games without parting with your hard-earned cash.
Once that has whetted your appetite, there are a wide range of bingo variants available to play that offer massive jackpots. Here are a few of our favourites and some handy tips on how to win.
75-Ball Bingo
Players in Missoula will be most familiar with this version of the game which features tickets formatted with five horizontal lines and five columns.
Each column is headed by a letter spelling BINGO, with the first numbers from 1-15, the second from 16-30 and so on. The space in the middle of the card is labelled ‘FREE’.
The aim of the game is to complete pre-determined patterns which include vertical, diagonal and horizontal lines or a full house.
Some sites run 75-Ball Bingo games that require players to complete specific patterns such as four corners, letters, circles or crosses.
With fewer numbers in play than other versions of the game, 75-Ball Bingo is an exciting way to enjoy this exciting pastime.
90-Ball Bingo
If you are a British expat living in Montana or elsewhere in North America, 90-Ball Bingo will be right up your street.
This game became a cultural phenomenon in Britain during the 20th century, and it has continued to be hugely popular on the internet.
Each ticket is made up of three horizontal lines with nine columns in the 90-Ball variant, with 15 numbers contained on each one.
The game is played in three parts, with players winning process for being the first to complete a single, two lines and the full house.
Payouts are determined by the cost per ticket and the number of players who opt into a game, with the site taking a small percentage to cover their running costs.
Slingo
The basic versions of bingo are great fun to play, but if you fancy trying something different, then Slingo is well worth checking out.
Slingo is a hybrid of 75-Ball Bingo and traditional slot machine, with the game played on a 5×5 grid with the reels situated just below.
Each game sees players given 20 spins to play on the slot machine. If a number or symbol appears that is on your card, this is marked off.
Players are awarded points for various achievements such as clearing a line, hitting a special symbol or clearing the entire card.
The player accumulates the highest number of points scoops the prize pool, which in some cases can reach $50,000.
Bingo Roulette
One of the most exciting new variants of bingo incorporates a game that is an essential part of every top-class casino – roulette!
Players can purchase up to 96 tickets for each game, with each of these containing five different numbers out of the 52 displayed on the special roulette wheel.
The ball whizzes around the wheel, and whoever number it lands on is marked off a player’s ticket. The first person to cover all five on a ticket wins the game.
Unlike other variants, there is just one winning pattern – the full house – which makes Bingo Roulette one of the fastest games around.
With a chatroom incorporated towards the side of the roulette wheel, players can interact with others just as they would in a bingo hall or casino.
Flash Fives
Fans of card games will be in their element with Flash Fives – a game which perfectly blends bingo and casinos together.
The numbered bingo balls are replaced with a standard deck of 52 playing cards, with players purchasing tickets that contain a hand of five cards.
A caller calls out the cards randomly, and if they appear on the player’s ticket, they are covered by a casino chip.
The first player to complete a hand on a ticket wins the game and scoops the prize pot. They can even follow their progress of via the ‘Calling Card’ tab at the side of the game.
Also known as 52-Bingo, Flash Fives is a game that is sure to keep you entertained on those cold Missoula winter nights.
How to Play – Advanced Bingo Strategy
Whichever bingo game you play, it is essential to note that each one requires a massive amount of luck if you are to win big.
However, there are strategies you can follow that will tip the odds in your favour and give you a greater chance of making a profit.
For instance, if you sign-up for a game with 99 other players and everyone bought six tickets, there would be 600 tickets in that game.
Buying another 20 tickets you would give you a 26 in 620 chance of winning the game, whereas the other players would still have a six in 620 chance.
It also recommended to set an affordable budget and stick to it to ensure that playing bingo remains a fun activity.
Ultimately, bingo is a form of entertainment, so treat in the same way as you would for any other similar expenses.
It can also pay to avoid playing at peak times, as the greater number of players makes it less likely that you will win a game.
Playing bingo games with fewer players generates lower returns, but your successes are likely to be more regular.