What Is 80-Ball Bingo and How You Can Play the Game Online

80-ball bingo is one of the most popular bingo styles of the beloved game. The game uses 80 balls, each marked with a number between 1 and 80. Players have a card containing 16 squares. Each square contains a randomly generated number between one and 80.

Numbers are randomly pulled from the 80-ball pool. Players attempt to complete a specified pattern on the bingo card or cards. Each round has designated designs, often allowing for more than one winner per game. Keep reading to learn everything you need about this bingo version.

What Is 80-Ball Bingo?

80-ball bingo is a variation of the game created in UK bingo halls. It is also known as shutterboard bingo since game halls often built the tickets into tables at seaside resorts.

The variation is similar to 75-ball bingo and allows for quick games with multiple winners. Usually, it features multiple winning patterns. Given that, the rounds run longer and are full of suspense and excitement, with lower risk than traditional bingo games.

The game uses the number 1 through 80, with each only being called once per game. A pattern is assigned at the beginning of each game. Bingo is achieved by completing the designated design.

 

80-Ball Bingo Games

80-ball bingo games use the same basic cards to complete various designs and versions of the competition.

Typical Board Layout

Each 80-ball bingo card has precisely 16 squares laid out in a four-by-four grid. The bingo game randomly generates a number between one and 80 in each block. Unlike many bingo cards, every square contains a number, and 80-ball bingo cards have no free space.

Each of the four columns has a colour assignment. From left to right, the order is: red, yellow, blue, and white.

The cards’ layout helps players process number calls by grouping sets of digits in separate columns. Each grid divides in the following way:

• First (red) column: Numbers are always between 1 and 20
• Second (yellow) column: Digits in the middle squares between 21 through 40
• Third (blue) column: Numbers 41 through 60
• Fourth (white) and final column: Contains numbers 61 through 80

Different Kinds of Games

Players appreciate 80-ball bingos’ great variety, best illustrated by the various playable rounds.

Each round dictates what pattern or collection of patterns wins the bingo game. Winning designs are:

• Line & House: Diagonal, vertical, horizontal lines: a completed, full line in any of these directions.
• Four corners: You mark off the square in each of the four corners of your card
• Full house: A full house game occurs when you’ve filled in the entire card
• Square: Mark off all the squares in the perimeter of the card
• Two line: It can be two whole rows vertically or horizontally, or diagonally and does not need to be next to each other
• Three line: Occurs with three complete lines and can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal—the rows don’t need to be next to each other

Prizes

80-ball bingo prizes vary from site to site. Many prizes will be determined by the number of paying players who participate. However, most bingo websites include the following:

• Guaranteed prize pots: These awards are not dependent on ticket sales. Instead, there’s a predetermined pot that is won by the end of the bingo game.
• Jackpot: Players must meet specific conditions to earn the jackpot, i.e., making a full house in a certain number of calls or achieving a designated pattern.

More participating players make a more significant cash pot. Of course, fewer players increase your odds of winning.

A higher pay-in or ticket cost contributes to the pot, making the payout for a full house even bigger.

 

Why Is 80-Ball Bingo Popular?

80-ball bingo earns much of its popularity from familiarity. The game is heavily reminiscent of 90 and 75-ball bingo, versions most players already know. This version of the beloved competition adds speed and variation to each round of bingo.

The colourful blocks are engaging and fun, helping keep players involved.

80-ball bingo provides more chances for players to win. With a similar gaming style to 90 and 75-ball bingo, 80-ball lets players win by filling in any of the major patterns. That, in turn, increases the opportunity for success.

The games play faster than 90 ball games but are only slightly longer than 75 ball games. That allows players to have more fun, and more games increase the chances of winning. Players can enjoy much of the familiarity of 90 and 75-ball bingo but with a faster pace and more variety of gameplay.

 

How To Play 80-Ball Bingo

80-ball bingo tickets differ significantly from 90-ball bingo cards but are similar to 75-ball cards. However, there are no free spaces on an 80-ball bingo card, unlike a 75-ball ticket.

The game is simple: the caller establishes the pattern at the beginning of the round. They pull random numbers between one and 80. If players have the called digits on their bingo cards, they mark them off—the first person to complete the design wins. No skill is required or even possible; the game is pure luck.

Each game uses a different pattern, so every round keeps players on their toes, trying to complete a new challenge.

The patterns aren’t pre-ordained; each site or caller chooses their own.

 

How To Win at 80-Ball Bingo

Players win 80-ball bingo by completing designated designs, determined at the beginning of each round. Many sites allow for multiple winners in each round. For example, a player may complete a four-block horizontal line without that victory ending the game. The match can continue until a player fills their entire card.

80-ball bingo depends on luck since the numbers are randomly generated. However, you can increase your chances of winning by buying multiple cards. Playing games during low-volume periods reduces competition and increases the odds of victory. It does, however, also lower the prize amount.

Online players can opt to have the game mark call numbers, ensuring they don’t risk missing anything.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

80-ball bingo is relatively straightforward, and the answers to these frequently asked questions clear up any lingering uncertainty about the game.

Is 80-ball bingo the most popular in the UK?

80-ball bingo ranks as the UK’s most popular variant of the game. Indeed, it’s typically included on online bingo sites, with companies like Broadway Gaming Group and Grand Battery Holdings Limited running sites that feature it.

Are all forms of 80-ball bingo regulated by the Gambling Commission?

The Gambling Commission regulates 80-ball bingo under license number 2396. All online bingo must be licensed unless a game is organised for charity.

Is 80-ball bingo the fastest?

Whether online bingo or played in a hall, 80-ball bingo is generally faster than most other bingo games. However, the numbers are randomly generated, so how long any game takes depends on several factors.

 

Conclusion

80-ball bingo is incredibly popular in the UK and on many online gaming sites. The competition trades on familiarity, resembling 75 and 90-ball variants while modifying the formula for speed and excitement. Players have more opportunities and ways to win a given round.

The game is played on a 16-block board, divided into a four-by-four grid, segmented by colour. Each round uses the numbers one through 80. Sites randomly generate the digits, and players mark off any matching numbers on their cards. 80-ball bingo allows players to win by making a variety of designs, creating a more exciting and engaging competition.

Last updated: Jan 24, 2023