Bingo is one of the simplest and oldest forms of gambling. While bingo games can vary, all are based on the theme of the gambler purchasing a card on which a random selection of numbers or symbols appears.

The bingo caller then selects from a pool of numbers or symbols at random with players crossing off those that match their card as they are selected.

Players win at a bingo game by crossing off a whole line (vertically, horizontally or diagonally) on their bingo card, or by crossing off all the numbers featured on it. The means of winning will vary from bingo game to bingo game with prize levels depending on the difficulty of achieving a winning configuration.

Bingo is traditionally played in bingo halls where numbers are generated by balls popping out of a machine where they are kept in a random sequence by tumbling or hot air.

Since the advent of internet gambling, online betting on games such as bingo has seen a surge in popularity with a range of betting sites offering online bingo games.

Online bingo is played in the same way as the real life game, with internet betting sites using computer technology to generate randomly sequenced virtual cards and then virtual callers generating randomly sequenced numbers which are “called” over the internet to the players.

Many online gambling sites offer new bingo players free bets in order to entice them in. There is a range of newcomers to the internet gambling industry competing for bingo players against the online betting giants such as Ladbrokes and William Hill.