Online Bingo

When it comes to online Bingo Canada has always been one of the countries with the most interest in this classic, social gambling game. Alongside nations such as the UK, the USA and Australia, the game of Bingo has deep roots here in Canada.

What is Bingo

Even if you're a complete Bingo novice, you're probably at least partly familiar with the game. It involves listening carefully to the numbers on balls being randomly selected, marking them off on your own personal Bingo card as they are drawn, and hoping to match a certain amount or pattern of numbers before anyone else. Variations are available, which usually involve differences in the total number of balls and the win conditions required.

It's a game which, perhaps more than many others, has a social community appeal – especially during the times when physical Bingo halls were more common. It's also among the few gambling games that have traditionally been more popular with women than men.

So how has Bingo changed in the digital era, and where are the best places to play today?

How To Play Online Bingo

When you've paid your entry fee for the game – whether it's a 75, 80 or 90-ball Bingo game, or even the much speedier 30-ball version – you'll receive a virtual Bingo card. This will contain a selection of numbers in a grid or pattern, which will be crossed off as they are randomly drawn.

Prizes are awarded when you have completed certain requirements, which could involve crossing off the numbers in all four corners of the grid, crossing off numbers to form an unbroken line across your grid, or crossing off every number on your card.

Bingo cards are distributed randomly, and the numbers drawn are similarly random thanks to the use of a random number generator (RNG), an important piece of technology used in many online casino table games to ensure fair play.

Different variants will offer different ways to win, so make sure you know exactly what it is you're trying to do before you start the game!

Online Bingo Strategy

When playing in a physical, land-based Bingo hall, the best strategies tend to involve a) having fast reactions and hand speed, in order to hear, find and cross off all the numbers which are called, and b) paying close attention to the Bingo caller – not as easy at it might seem when you're in a busy, noisy Bingo hall!

Of course, if your numbers are crossed off automatically, and you're playing online without the distractions of a crowded public place, these tips are much less useful. So are there any other Bingo strategies you can employ to boost your chances of winning?

As with other, similar games like Roulette, mathematicians and game theorists have developed a number of Bingo strategies over the years. One (the 'Granville Strategy') recommends selecting cards containing numbers with as many different last digits as possible, and equal numbers of odd/even and high/low numbers. Another (the 'Tippett Strategy') states that the longer a Bingo game goes on, the more likely it is that the numbers called will be closer to the median number (45 in a 90-ball game, 40 in an 80-ball game, etc).

Can you spot the flaw in these strategies when it comes to online Bingo? That's right: they rely on being able to select your own cards/numbers, which is never possible in the online version of the game.

This leaves one more tactic, the aptly-named 'Multi-Card Strategy'. As you might expect, this involves playing more than one Bingo card at once. To give a basic example, let's say 10 people are playing a Bingo game, using one card each. Each has a winning chance of 10% (1 in 10). If you're one of those 10 players, but are the only one to choose to play 2 cards instead of 1, your winning chance increases to around 18% (2 in 11).

Of course, playing multiple cards is more expensive than playing a single card, which means the return on your investment would be lower when you do win.

Play Online Bingo for Free

Online Bingo can move quickly, and new players may take a little while to adjust to the speed of play – even if they're a veteran of live Bingo games.

For this reason we would recommend trying out any new online Bingo site for free, before playing any real money games. Most online Bingo Canada sites offer the option to play for free, which is not only a great way to get used to the interface, software and pace of play, but also to see if the community is one you enjoy.

As a much more traditionally social game, many online Bingo sites offer the chance to chat with fellow players while you play, so the type of players and community you find on different sites could make a big difference to where you feel most comfortable playing.

Online Bingo Canada – Progressive Jackpot Games

When choosing a game or variant of online Bingo to play, we recommend keeping an eye out for progressive jackpot games.

These games don't tend to play too differently to regular online Bingo games, but will feature a jackpot prize which steadily increases until it is won.

Win conditions can be hard to meet, as you would expect, but some sites will trigger the jackpot randomly. And if you do manage to hit the jackpot, you could win some serious money!

Where is the Best Online Bingo for Canadian Players?

For lovers of online Bingo Canada has plenty of options to keep you happy. If a site is easy to use, the games are easy to play and, crucially, the site is licensed, then no one is better placed to make a decision on where to play than you are.

When weighing up your options, though, we would bear in mind a few different things:

Choice of Games

Does the site run the types of online Bingo you want to play? Do you prefer 30 balls, 75, or more? Are you after a traditional Bingo experience, or something a little more 'out there'? Do you want to play a progressive jackpot game for higher potential prizes? There are lots of options, so why not try them (for free) before making your mind up?

Payment Methods

Once you've found the games you want to play, can you move money quickly and easily to and from the site using methods you're comfortable with using?

Bonuses and Promotions

Nothing keeps a player engaged more than regular promotions, but you should also check out each site's welcome bonuses careully. You'll only get a welcome bonus once for each site, and they can be some of the best deals in the business, so make the most of them!

Top Tip: Check the Reviews

Eager to play online Bingo Canada-style? If you don't have the time to visit every site and do the research (and who does?) then just check out our detailed reviews

You're sure to find a great online Bingo site in minutes, and you'll be playing in no time!