Explaining the Differences Between US and UK Bingo

Bingo is a game that’s proved itself popular through the decades. But did you know that there are actually different versions of Bingo played in the UK and US?

Players more familiar with one of these formats might not entirely recognise the other version of the game played across the Atlantic. But, thanks to the rise of online Bingo options, players can now access an even wider variety of Bingo games than ever before.

That’s why we’re here today to lay out the key differences between Bingo in the US and UK, so that you can better understand how both of these formats work.

• The number of balls in play

One of the most obvious differences between the US and UK versions of Bingo is the fact that they each use a different number of balls.

In the US, Bingo is typically played with a total of 75 balls. This matches up with the distinct format of the US Bingo card, which is made up of a 5X5 grid.

UK Bingo, on the other hand, uses a higher total of 90 balls. Notably, each of those 90 balls has its own unique nickname that is often announced by the caller when drawn.

While the difference in the number of balls isn’t massive – with just 15 more or less – this actually has a significant impact on the overall pace of the game and style of play.

• The Bingo card

If you looked at a US and UK Bingo card side by side you might be surprised by how different the two are.

US Bingo cards feature a 5×5 grid – for a total of 25 spaces – almost all of which are filled with a number. Only the centre square is typically left empty as a ‘free’ space, allowing players some wiggle room when filling out their cards.

Each of the five columns on the card is labelled with one of the letters from the word Bingo and will only contain numbers within a specific range.

The UK Bingo card is more of a rectangle in shape, with a 9×3 grid and a total of 27 spaces. But, unlike the US card, only 15 of the squares on a UK card contain numbers.

• Filling the Bingo card

The different designs of the US and UK Bingo cards also leads to a core difference in gameplay.

With US Bingo, there is a wide range of potential patterns for players to fill out, from horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines to more complicated patterns like an x or zigzag. The specific patterns will vary from game to game, creating a greater degree of variation.

This is very distinct from UK Bingo, where play proceeds with players aiming to be the first to mark off one line, two lines and then all three lines on their card. This divides gameplay into three distinct phases, and multiple opportunities for players to get to call Bingo.

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And those are just the most obvious differences between these two Bingo formats! Which of the two a player prefers will depend on a variety of factors, such as which version is local to their region and whether they prefer a faster or slo