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Bingo is such an easy and fun game to play, and with the right equipment can even be played at home. Nowadays, the fantastic world of online casinos has also opened the doors to digital Bingo games, involving different software and technology. So, if you’re ready to get those eyes down, let us guide you through the equipment you need to play bingo.
Bingo Machines
The main piece of equipment you’re most likely to recognise is the Bingo machine. Usually, in a traditional Bingo hall or a game at home, this machine is a large, spinning drum/cage through which the numbered balls are jumbled and then randomly selected by a mechanism that releases the ball. The Bingo machine is continuously spun until the next ball is called. The selected ball is then either blown through a tube or has fallen into a separate section of the machine. The ball is then collected and displays the number to be read out. This ball is then discarded onto the Bingo board or tray next to the machine, and the process starts again until someone wins a line or full house.
In modern Bingo halls, and for an online game, an electronic random number generator (RNG) replaces the traditional Bingo machine, which doesn’t contain any physical numbered balls. The RNG tends to be quicker than the drum-based machine and uses special technology to select numbers at random, displaying them on a large screen to the entire hall, or on your device’s screen if playing at an online casino. And it’s usually matched with an electronic Bingo card that players can tap to mark their numbers, or even where the computer automatically marks it for the player. Far from the days of pen and paper, or the dauber as the weapon of choice.
Bingo machines in all shapes and sizes are completely fair, especially when being used in a casino or bingo hall. These are regularly checked and verified by gambling regulators, such as the Gambling Commission in the UK. At an online casino, the RNG software has to also be tested and certified by an external regulator.
The creation of Bingo apps means that you can now play Bingo wherever you like, without having any of the usual equipment. If you’re playing Bingo on your mobile device, then everything you need is digital. Although you have access to all forms of online Bingo games, you are unlikely to see a form of digital Bingo machine or the balls being drawn, and your numbers can be marked automatically. This is popular amongst players who prefer a quicker pace to the game.
Bingo Balls
Bingo balls are coloured with numbers printed on them, and go inside a traditional Bingo machine. The different numbers on the balls are what you are attempting to dab off on your Bingo card. The number of balls is dependent on the variety of Bingo you’re playing. The most common formats consist of either 75, 80 or 90 balls, with the balls numbered accordingly.
As Bingo is a completely random game, there is no higher chance of a single numbered ball being called more than any other. And as mentioned before, in an online Bingo game, you won’t encounter any physical balls.
Bingo Cards
Bingo cards, sometimes known as boards or tickets, are what the player is given in order to partake in the game. The cards’ template consists of squares, known as boxes, which display the numbers you need to dab off – usually you are required to mark off a single line, two lines or every number (a house) on the card to win prizes in the game. Each Bingo card has a unique configuration of numbers based on the variant being played, to ensure that the game is 100% fair. El
