80 Ball Bingo

80 ball bingo is, as you might expect, a game of bingo that uses the numbers 1 to 80. Most bingo games involve 90 balls, as in the traditional UK game, or 75 balls, as in the American-style pattern game, but 80 ball bingo sits neatly between the two and provides players with a third option that adds a dash of variety to their hobby.

It has to be said that 80 ball bingo is not as common as the 75 or 90 ball games, but more and more bingo clubs – both online and offline – are offering it either as a main or side game. Some of the first online sites to embrace the game are Sun Bingo and Gala Bingo, though many others are jumping aboard what is viewed as being the next bingo craze to sweep the nation.

For those who have never come across the game before, 80 ball bingo is played using a four by four card. Different clubs have different ways to win, with the most common being:

Four Corners – This requires you to mark all four corners on your ticket.

One Line – As in 90 ball bingo, a prize can be awarded for completing one line, but in 80 ball bingo the line could be vertical or diagonal as well as horizontal, as the club dictates.

Pattern – Just as players can win prizes by making patterns in 75 ball bingo, the pattern variation of the game allows 80 ball players to do the same, albeit with different patterns to suit the different layout of the ticket.

Full House / Coverall – Almost all bingo clubs pay the top prize to the first 80 ball player who marks all of the numbers on their card. This is essentially the 80 ball equivalent of a Full House in a 90 ball game or the Coverall in a 75 ball game.

Whether 80 ball bingo is just a passing fad or a form of the game that will become increasingly popular as time goes on is impossible to say at this stage. What we can say is that the game is extremely enjoyable and we therefore recommend that you try it for yourself whenever the opportunity arises.

Last Updated: 02/10/2008 19:07:58