Bingo Strategy Guide
Bingo has a system of rigidly fixed rules and is mostly based on luck but there are still certain strategies you can use to maximize your chances of winning. These strategies won't change the odds in any way but they will help you become a better bingo player. Because, believe it or not, there is some skill involved in bingo.
The most skilled bingo players are those who know how many bingo cards to purchase, which automatic functions to use and which games to play in. Becoming a better bingo player won't change the odds of the game but your skills will help you win more often because you'll know all the ins and outs of the game.
How Many Cards to Buy
One of the biggest decisions that can affect your win rate is deciding on how many bingo cards to purchase. At most online bingo sites and live bingo halls, you can purchase just one bingo card or multiple cards. There are two major factors you should use to help you determine how many cards you should purchase: the cost of the card in relation to the prize pool and how many cards you can play at a time without missing anything.
If there's a large prize pool and lots of players in the game, you'll increase your chances of winning by purchasing more bingo cards. But keep in mind that this doesn't necessarily change your win rate. Your additional bingo cards cost extra money and that extra money will lower your expected return. In the end, your win rate isn't determined by how many bingo cards you purchase but it is more fun to have a higher chance of winning.
You'll also want to make sure you don't overextend yourself by purchasing too many bingo cards. At online bingo sites, you can use certain automated features to help you keep track of your cards but at live bingo halls, it's all up to you. If you get stuck with too many cards, it can be difficult to keep track of everything. Having too many bingo cards can cause you to miss out on bingos.
Use the Auto-Daub and Auto-Bingo Function
This strategy tip only applies to online bingo. Every online bingo site has the option to auto-daub your bingo cards. This means that every time a number is called out, the software will automatically mark every corresponding space for you. This is a lifesaver for those of you who play more than one bingo card at a time.
The auto-bingo function works much the same way. The software will keep track of all your cards for you and will claim bingos as soon as you match one of the winning bingo patterns. This feature is especially useful for bingo games in which there are multiple winning patterns.
About Overlapping Numbers
Some online bingo sites let you examine your bingo cards before the game and request new ones if you're not happy with the numbers on your card. Lots of bingo players use this feature to avoid having the same numbers appear on different bingo cards.
At first glance, this seems like it makes sense - why have the same number when you can spread the risk and have more numbers across all your cards? Well, it actually doesn't matter how many numbers overlap on your bingo cards.
The thought process behind this is that if one of your numbers isn't called, you'll miss out on that space on all of your bingo cards. But what people don't realize is that this particular pendulum swings both ways. You're just as likely to be helped by having overlapping numbers as you are to be hurt by it. If one of your overlapping numbers gets called, you'll have hits on multiple cards.