Among the myriad games of chance prevalent in the realm of gambling, bingo stands out as a prominent and widely enjoyed option. Indeed, it is considered more than a casino game. It has specific social significance as well. That is because this simple game is popular in social gatherings across the world. What's more, many countries have dedicated bingo halls. These are places where people congregate to play rounds of this game, socialise and have other forms of fun and entertainment.
In the following article, we look at the game’s popularity in Britain, discuss how the game takes on a different linguistic or cultural aspect in Spain compared to UK bingo, and see the latest status of the game in these two countries.
By definition, it is a low-priced form of gambling. It is akin to lottery games also. Usually, players need to purchase cards – users can do it either online from the CasinoDepositPal online bingo rooms or at regular bingo halls The cards are divided into numbered or blank squares. The banker who conducts the game calls out random numbers. These usually vary up to 75 or could go up to 90.
The aim of the game can vary. For instance, a player who achieves a line of circled squares usually collects the prize. However, in some games, there are different ways to win prizes. That could include winning a line horizontally or vertically. It could also be the corners or a diagonal line of numbers.
If we look at bingo in the UK it has a version of its own. Indeed, it is called British bingo, also known as 90-ball bingo. It is a game that incorporates probability. While its features and rules are common as in other countries, certain aspects are peculiar to Britain.
· A caller conducts the game sessions; he or she draws on numbers randomly and calls them.
· Players mark off the numbers as they are called.
· The first person who marks all numbers on their card is the winner.
· As per the name, 90 balls are used; that is the stream of numbers called can be between 1 and 90.
· Bingo halls in the UK, especially the old ones, still use machines with spinners or blowers; this helps to make the ball draw random.
· A bingo ticket in Britain usually contains about 27 spaces. These are divided between three rows and nine columns.
· Players need to complete specific patterns, including two lines, single lines, full houses, etc.
· Double Bubble where specific numbers are called such as 11, 22, 33. After that, the win can be double the prize money.
· Lucky Star is a version where players are assigned specific numbers between 1 to 90.
As in other regions, the RTP of UK bingo games varies between 60% to 70%. Best paying bingo sites provide games with RTP of 70% - 85%. This would seem lower than slot games and table games. However, this is usually attributed to certain factors of the game:
· Bingo games typically require lower costs to play; in online bingo rooms, one can play a round with mere cents.
· Usually, bingo games have a limited number of players and rounds, unlike slot games.
· Bingo games usually include jackpots; even slots with jackpots have lower RTPs.
For such reasons, one should not be discouraged from playing UK bingo or other bingo games.
If we look at the game in Spain, it is more of a cultural engagement as well as a linguistic one. That is because the game is usually played with words or pictures instead of numbers. For instance, the popular language platform, Mama Llama Linguist, promotes Loteria, also called Spanish bingo. It promotes this game as a great way to involve children to learn Spanish.
Loteria, in Spanish, means lottery. It is also a bilingual game that is popularly called Mexican bingo.
The steps to play Loteria are as follows:
· Players are given a card or tabla which is 4x4.
· Every block shows an image and its name.
· The caller or cantor draws cards from a deck randomly and reads a name; he or she can also use a riddle for the players to guess the name or the image.
· Players use tokens to mark the spots; once 4 pictures are filled in a row the player needs to shout “Loteria”.
There can be other variations such as covering all four corners, the entire board or a square pattern.
After World War One, bingo halls started to be popular across the UK and other parts of Europe. Veterans and men’s clubs popularised such a pastime. However, since public smoking was banned many players resorted to playing online. This can be seen as a common trend across the UK and Spain. Furthermore, the pandemic situation also brought the halls to a standstill for quite a while.
Today, there are about 600 bingo halls across the UK and about 400 in Spain. Circa Corporation is known to be one of the biggest operators in Spain and runs about 50 halls.
Bingo is a simple game of chance that is popular in many social events. The culture of bingo halls might have transformed over the years, especially due to the advent of online gambling. However, bingo halls across Spain and the UK are still holding on, many of them converting themselves with modern amenities to attract the younger crowd as well.
