Lucky Numbers

Since the game of bingo is all about luck, it is not surprising that so many people seek new ways to try and improve their odds in order to win big. Many people believe strongly in the power of numbers and hold strong to the belief that some numbers are luckier than others. Whether you believe it or not, finding your lucky numbers can be fun and can even add some extra excitement when out playing all manner of bingo games, whether over the Internet or in person at your local community hall.

One term that comes up a lot on numerology sites is the Life Path Number. This is found by taking your birth date and then adding together the digits in the following way.

Let’s say that you are born on 14/07/1975. Add up all of the digits, like so:

1 + 4 + 7 + 1 + 9 + 7 + 5 = 34

Then add the digits again.

3 + 4 = 7

To choose your lucky online bingo numbers, you can then work backwards from your Life Path Number. Basically, any number with digits adding to your Life Path Number will be lucky. In the above example, choosing the numbers 7, 16, 25, 34, 43, 52, 61, 70, 79, 88 and 97 is meant to provide you with good luck as their digits all add up to equal your Life Path Number.

Whether this actually works or not is anyone’s guess though. If you do try this out on the web and end up winning some very nice bingo bonuses, please let us know by leaving a comment in the box below. And if you don’t win, maybe that’s proof that numbers are just numbers and that we need to make our own luck in other ways instead.

Global Bingo Statistics

While online bingo is certainly a lucrative industry for those running the big sites, it is interesting to have a look at the different statistics currently available in order to get a feel for the general bingo population around the world. Some of the numbers are actually fairly surprising and may change the way that you think about online bingo players. 

Recently, information was collated from a number of the biggest online bingo sites, which revealed the following interesting statistics on those playing this very popular game:

• About 85% of online bingo players are female.
• There are about 100,000 online bingo players worldwide.
• In the 30 to 50 age group, about 80% of players are women.
• 50% of online bingo players enjoy the game every day.
• About 70% of players enjoy 75-ball bingo while the rest play 90-ball.
• Only 40% of bingo players have been playing for more than five years
• 83% of players partake in other activities while they play.
• Only 1% of land-based bingo players (those who play in halls and churches) have also moved to online bingo.
• Most bingo players are from the US, followed by Japan and then the UK.

The survey also showed that the ages of online bingo players can be broken down into groups like so:

• 18 – 24 years: 13.75%
• 25 – 34 years: 15.96%
• 35 – 49 years: 25.26%
• 50 – 54 years: 5.82%
• 55 – 64 years: 6.66%
• 65 years and over: 2.96%

As you can see, the stereotype that bingo is an old person’s game is entirely incorrect as the majority of players are less than 55 years of age. Both old and new bingo sites are now catering to this trend by creating layouts and themes that are aimed at a more youthful audience. 

This Week on Our Forum (David Essex, Celebrity Bingo Icons & Farm Run)

While there hasn’t been much chatter on our boards this past week, our members have still come up with a few interesting topics that we feel are worth a mention. From celebrities to bingo, and even a combination of the both, there was still plenty of variety to be found within our bingo forums.

David Essex

Those who only know David Essex from hit songs, such as “Rock On,” “Lamplight” and “Gonna Make You a Star,” may be surprised to hear that he also has an extensive acting career spanning stage, television and film. In June, David will be seen on EastEnders, joining the Moon household as Eddie, the father of the ever-popular Michael. Where this new addition to the cast will take the show is anyone’s guess, but we are sure that it will be somewhere very interesting indeed.

Celebrity Bingo Icons

In a fun twist to the usual celebrity gossip that is found on our forums, one keen poster asked who would be the best superstar to emerge as the next big bingo icon. With Barbara Windsor still reigning over Jackpotjoy Bingo, we would not be surprised to see other sites jump on the celebrity bandwagon and employ their own household names to attract new players. Who would you choose if you could see one familiar face on your favourite site?

Farm Run

Finally, the latest promotion from Bingo MagiX is also a big subject on the forums. Titled Farm Run, the aim is to make a deposit and then advance forward towards certain goals. The more steps forward you take, the more farm animals you will collect, and the higher your chances of winning some extra cash. This promotion is running until the 31st of May, however, so you only really have a few more days of play before it is all over and done with.

Playing 75 Ball Bingo

First seen in New Orleans in the 1920’s, Bingo 75, has since spread all around the world. The aim of the game is to match the numbers drawn (which go from 1 to 75) to those on your set of bingo cards. The prizes are usually progressive, increasing with every person who plays, meaning that there can be some pretty large cash jackpots found on some of the best bingo sites out there.

75 Ball Bingo Cards

These cards consist of five vertical and five horizontal rows, making for a total of 25 spaces. Each space contains a random number, except the centre square which is free. The letters B, I, N, G, and O are found at the top of each column and the highest number is, of course, 75.

Purchasing these cards is often fairly simple and can be done directly through any online bingo website. The specifics, such as the button label and price, may vary from site to site, but the process should be fairly intuitive and should allow you to get right into playing the game without fretting too much about the purchasing process.

Boards and Patterns

In 75 Bingo, the call board consists of 5 rows and 15 columns. Each space holds a single number, with a total of 75 numbers contained on the board itself.

Players win a game of 75 Bingo when they are the first person to complete the designated pattern for that game. Traditionally, these games were played with a 5-in-a-row pattern and the first player to get a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line on their card would win. These days, however, different varieties have emerged, some more difficult than others. All are just as fun, however, especially with the wide range of bingo promotions and bonuses available to make things even more exciting.

Top Online Bingo Bonuses

With so many bingo sites out there, it can be difficult to decide which ones to play on. Of course, some offer better bonuses than others and the right choice can increase the odds of you winning big. To help you in your quest for the ultimate prize, we have compiled the following list of the best promotions available.

1. The Big Night In is scheduled for May 29th between 5pm and midnight. Held over several bingo sites, including Bet365, William Hill, Paddy Power and Betfred, there will be fourteen feature games each offering jackpots of up to £10,000. While most sites are offering a grand total of £125,000, Bet365 Bingo has outdone the rest by adding five £25,000 community jackpots exclusive to players from that site.
2. For even more money, Ladbrokes Bingo is giving players the chance to win £1,000,000. In Millionaire Wednesday (held every week from 8pm to 10pm), players take part in a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire style bingo game. To win that money, you will have to call house within 17 calls. There are also plenty of other cash prizes available and entry costs 10p.
3. Every Sunday, Jackpotjoy Bingo holds the 30k Super Jackpot, where a whopping £30,000 is up for grabs. Simply hop over to The Lounge from 7pm to 8pm after buying your tickets for just 10p each. To grab that jackpot, you’ll have to cover your card within 46 calls. You will also have to purchase a minimum of ten cards to enter.
4. As for non-cash prizes, one of the best is found at Gala Bingo in their Ultimate Bingo Championship. Not only can you win up to £100,000 of prize money, but the site is also giving away a 3 day holiday to the isle of Gibraltar to one lucky player. Qualifying games occur each day of the week, so hop online and start playing. We wish you the best of luck!

This Week on Our Forum (Eurovision, Dream Ticket Bingo & Carlos Solis)

Hello again to our readers! We’re back for another weekly update involving the latest goings on within our bingo forums. This past week, the gossip, news and chit chat hasn’t let up and the following highlights have shot forward into view.

Eurovision Finals

With most of the UK watching Blue in the hopes that they would win this year’s Eurovision competition, it is no surprise that the final judges’ decision caused at least a little disappointment. In the end though, the Azerbaijani duet Eldar & Nigar ended up coming out ahead with the soft romantic tones of their song, Postcard. This result certainly caused a mixed reaction in our forums!

Dream Ticket Bingo

One promotion that has received plenty of attention is Dream Ticket Bingo which is hosted by the popular site Bet365 Bingo. Here, whenever players spend £10 on bingo tickets, they will automatically be given a EuroMillions lottery ticket as well. Players have until the 1st of July to take part in this competition, so get on Bet365 and start playing today.

Carlos Solis

Finally, the forums wouldn’t be complete without some kind of celebrity gossip. This week the attention was on Ricardo Antonio Chavira, the actor who plays Carlos Solis in the hit TV show, Desperate Housewives. On May 3rd, the actor was caught drink driving in Los Angeles and according to the reports he was being held on bail for US$25,000.

Of course, we would love to hear from you about any of the above topics as well. If you have anything to add on the Eurovision winners, the bingo promotions from Bet365 Bingo, or the antics of those LA celebrities, please leave a comment for us below. Alternatively, you can hop on over to our forums and join in with the discussions going on over there.

Site of the Month: Ruby Bingo

Since 2003, Ruby Bingo has been providing fun bingo moments to players all over the UK. Run by gaming giant, William Hill, the site promises a wide range of games, a safe gambling environment and lots of chances to win big! With 90, 80 and 75-ball games, plus a healthy dose of side-games such as slots and scratchcards, guests will find plenty do to while there.

The site also hosts a range of bingo promotions, including these highlights:

• A £16 New Player Bonus in which those who sign up receive an automatic £16 without having to deposit a thing!
• A First Deposit Bonus where Ruby is offering a 100% match bonus to those who deposit up to £9.99 and a 300% match bonus up to £100 to those who deposit even more.
• A Weekly Bonus where you can win back your losses! The site now gives back 10% of whatever you’ve lost during the week, and you can receive up to £50 in this way.

Ruby Bingo is also very generous with its bingo prizes, and players have the chance to win £10,000 or more in some progressive jackpot games. Be sure to check out Super Joker Jackpot and Cash Blaster for the chance to win a substantial amount of money.

Of course, this is only scratching the tip of the iceberg. With other promotions such as Slot of the Week (where players gain back 10% of their losses), the Free Bingo Hour (where you can win up to £30 with no entry fee) and Super Sunday (where up to £1,000 is up for grabs every hour), fans of online bingo will certainly be spoilt for choice.

So visit their site, sign up and take advantage of the wide range of bingo games and promotions available. We wish you the best of luck and hope that you win big!

Do You Know Bingo Lingo

Win a Trip to Barcelona at City Bingo

Since City Bingo arrived on the bingo scene a short while ago, word has spread far and wide about its free bingo giveaways, in particular its luxury holiday packages. In their Free World Tour, the next stop is Barcelona, and players will find themselves in the running to receive a fabulous holiday to this exciting destination.

Recently, City Bingo sent two lucky people all the way over to one of the most vibrant cities in America, New York. The moment that the winners were on the plane, however, the team at this very popular site got to work on their next promotion, an amazing holiday package to Barcelona. Home of the Nou Camp Football Stadium, mouth-watering varieties of tapas, and absolutely stunning beaches, visitors will find plenty to see and do while there.

Entering the competition is actually quite easy. The game is 75-ball bingo and tickets are 10 pence each. Players can buy a maximum of 96 bingo cards and these promotional tickets can be purchased any time from now until the 31st of May when the big game is finally played.

In addition to paying for the plane tickets to Spain and three night’s accommodation in a classy hotel, City Bingo will also throw in £500 of spending money so that you can relax and enjoy yourself while there. Everything is on the house for the winner and to receive this amazing prize, all that you have to do is make a purchase from their site.

If you are a fan of online bingo or you are simply aching to travel the globe, hop onto City Bingo now. And if you sign up today, they will provide you with a free 350% match bonus for your first deposit, plus entry into the 'First Time Depositor Freebie' game where you can win £10 every 60 minutes.

This Week on Our Forum (Blue, Bingo.com & The Royal Wedding Again!)

This week, the forums have again been abuzz with activity about a range of topics centred on gossip, bingo and much more. There were a few topics that really stood out from the rest, however.

Blue and Eurovision

With the Eurovision song contest coming to a head, it is only natural that the event has hit our bingo forums. One hot topic in particular is the fact that the reunited band, Blue, now offers the UK the best chance that we have of winning this prestigious song contest in a long time. The final is set to be held tomorrow, May 14th, and show times can be found in your local television guides.

Worst Dressed at Royal Wedding

Of course a topic like the Royal Wedding simply cannot go away easily, so it is not surprising that we have more gossip and talk about the big occasion. This time, however, attention has been switched to the worst dressed on the day, and some scathing remarks have already been directed at big names such as Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Victoria Beckham and Princess Beatrice.

20% Cash Back at Bingo.com

On a more bingo-related note, one of the most popular promotions mentioned on the forums was the opportunity to gain back 20% of your losses whenever you played a game on Bingo.com. The team there made this promotion especially for the Royal Wedding however, and it is unfortunately all finished now.

If you have anything that you would like to add about any of the above topics, please let us know. Whether you have some gossip to tell about either Eurovision or the outfits worn at the Royal Wedding, we would love to hear from you. Additionally, if you have any more bingo news and advice, please log onto the forums and start a new thread there!

Bingo Slang

Whether playing online bingo or placing a few bets at a bingo hall, you are sure to find a number of sayings and slang that may confuse you at first. For this reason, we have listed some of the more common phrases used by today’s players for your information and entertainment.

When playing a few bingo games in your local community hall, you will most likely hear the numbers called out with a certain phrase said afterwards. Here are a few that have some interesting stories behind them.

• Nine. Doctor’s Orders – Taken from the old army days of bingo, a number 9 was a laxative prescribed by military doctors.
• Ten. David’s Den – The current Prime Minister, David Cameron, currently resides at Number 10 Downing Street (common knowledge by all British citizens, I’m sure!)
• Twenty-three. The Lord Is My Shepherd – A phrase from Psalm 23 in the Bible.
• Fifty. Bull’s Eye – Combining darts and bingo, the bull’s eye on a dart board is worth 50 points.
• Sixty-four. The Beatles’ Number – Based on the song “When I’m 64” by The Beatles.
• Eighty. Gandhi’s Breakfast – Actually, this one has no explanation that I can find. If anyone can clue me and the rest of the bingo world in, that would be great!

There are also plenty of chat lingo and abbreviations on the web that you may not be familiar with.

• AFK – Away from keyboard
• AFAIK – As far as I know
• FTL – For the lose (used when something bad happens)
• FTW – For the win (used when something good happens)
• IM(H)O – In my (humble) opinion
• IRL – In real life
• LOL – Laughing out loud
• OMG – Oh my God
• TTYL – Talk to you later

Of course, there are many more then these, and you’ll learn them as you continue to play. If you’ve stumbled upon any unusual acronyms, abbreviations or slang in your lifetime, please let us know by leaving a comment below!

Take That Returns!

Known as one of the greatest boy bands of the 90’s, Take That produced numerous hits such as Babe, Relight My Fire and Back for Good. Of course, when they broke up in 1996, millions of fans worldwide were heartbroken and we would not be surprised if many had to receive counselling as a result.

Fortunately, ChitChat Bingo has teamed up with the newly reunited band and are now giving the chance for players to win two tickets to see Take That Live, their upcoming sold out performance at London’s Wembley Stadium on Wednesday 6th July. They will even throw in an additional £100 towards travel expenses, giving winners the chance to just enjoy the show without being put out of pocket.

Entering is quite simple as well! All that you need to do is deposit a total of £50 between the 3rd and the 23rd of May and you will be put into the draw. For every £5 that’s played on bingo or every £10 that’s played on any other game, you will receive one entry.

There are actually two bingo promotions for the price of one here, as entrants will also be placed into an additional prize draw where they will have the chance to win a Take That concert DVD. There are twelve to give away and you will automatically be placed into the running whenever you receive a ticket for those highly awaited concert tickets.

As well as this, if you have yet to sign up with ChitChat Bingo, remember that they also have a 200% match bonus, meaning that if you deposit £10 then you’ll receive an additional £20 for free! You will still have to make a total deposit of £50 on top of this to be eligible to win those Take That tickets though.

This Week on Our Forum (Princess Kate, Dancing with the Stars, Gala Bingo)

It’s time again for a quick recap of the popular topics that have been going around our forums this week. It is always amazing when we see how many different subjects are being discussed, especially since this is meant to be a bingo forum! We’re glad to see so many of you having a good time on our boards though.

Princess Kate’s Wedding Gown

Since Will and Kate are now happily married – and probably enjoying one amazing honeymoon – it is only natural that talk has turned to the wedding gown that she wore when walking down the aisle. Generating a lot of positive comments, this dress is a definite work of art which was made even better by the way that Kate held herself throughout the entire occasion.

Dancing with the Stars (US Version)

In other news, the show, “Dancing with the Stars,” is now a popular subject of conversation, especially since “Strictly Come Dancing” is now over. From Kirstie Alley to Kendra Wilkinson, the contestants are putting on a terrific show for their worldwide audience. Because of this, it is only natural that people are spending time away from their bingo games, eyes glued to the telly instead.

Gala Bingo’s Penny Bazaar

And speaking of bingo, there is one promotion that has been generating a lot of talk over the past week. The popular site, Gala Bingo, is now hosting the Penny Bazaar where you can win up to £150. This may seem small but the price to enter is a measly 1p meaning that you can play as much as you like and hopefully win more than once!

As always, if you have anything that you would like to add on any of the above topics, please leave a comment for us below. Alternatively, you can hop on over to the forums and join in on the discussion there!

This Week's Big Bingo Bonuses

Are you looking for some great prizes? Would a wad of cash make next weekend even more enjoyable? If so, you’ll be glad to hear about the many big bingo bonuses currently being offered by the following major sites.

Every weekday evening, Mecca Bingo hosts its “Big £££ Jackpots” where they give away £5,000 over two hours. From 9pm every evening, the site will put ten £500 jackpots up for grabs giving players plenty of chances to win big. Tickets cost 25p and you can pre-buy them through the website even if you cannot make the game.

Paddy Power has something special in time for the Eurovision song contest. Between the 2nd and 12th of May, play bingo in any room and you will be entered into the Paddyvision Bingo Tournament where the top three participants will walk away with a 3D LCD TV or up to £1,000 in prizes. Those interested can opt in through the website.

One of the largest bonuses can be found at Posh Bingo. Every Friday at 10pm, this site hosts “Dream of £1,000,000” where the minimum jackpot is £1,000 and where there is a possible million to be snatched up! Cards cost £1 each and you can purchase them through the site.

 One final promotion that you will have to hurry for is “The Queen’s Teapot” on Jackpotjoy. Until the 5th of May, if you bet at least £70 on selected games, you will then be eligible to win a share of £30,000 the very next day. To enter, log in to the site and click the Take Part button.

Good luck to our readers with all of these great promotions! We hope that you win big and, if you do, please let us know by leaving a comment for us below.

Why Online Bingo Is Safer

Did anyone hear the news last week about that woodwork factory fire in Southend? About 600 people had to be evacuated from a neighbouring bingo hall, which certainly would have interrupted their game! I’m not sure whether I would have been more upset at being put in danger or missing out on some great prizes.

This little incident certainly proves that online bingo is much safer than playing outside in a hall. How many of us live near factories anyway? No, at this moment, you’re all sitting there in your comfy home safe away from the dangers of fire or anything else that’s nasty and harmful. And you’re all enjoying a game or two of bingo, I’ll bet!

If you really must live dangerously and play in a bingo hall, just remember to avoid any near the following locations:

• Woodwork factories
• Military bases and rifle ranges
• Nuclear power plants
• Heavy metal concerts
• Active volcanoes

As for me, I think I’ll just stay home and enjoy a game on my computer where I’m safe and I get to sit there with a warm cup of cocoa. I get the feeling that the bingo bonuses found online don’t involve fleeing for your life from a raging factory fire. Who knows though? You never can tell what wacky and interesting prizes you’ll find on the many bingo sites around these days. That being said, it certainly seems that there is a smaller chance of you being placed in any life-threatening situations when reading any bingo news or playing any games over the Internet.

Were you in Southend at the time of the fire? Have you vowed never to experience the dangers of the bingo hall again? Let us know by leaving us a comment below!