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In order to calculate your odds of winning at online bingo, you need to know how many cards are in play. If you have two cards in play and there are 100 cards in total, you have a two in 100 chance of winning the main prize. So theoretically, the more cards you buy the greater your probability of winning is – you just need to remember the more cards you have, the greater your total outlay will be.

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The more players, the less chance you have of winning. For example, if everyone is playing five cards and there are 100 people in a room, there could be over 500 cards in play, meaning you are five in 500, or a 100 to 1 chance of being the winner. But if this was the case the jackpot would be significantly more than if there were 10 people in the room playing two cards each.

The beauty of playing bingo online is that there is no limit on the number of players that can be in a room, meaning there are going to be big pots with some of the bigger online Bingo halls having thousands playing in the same game. Every single card in the game of Bingo has an equal chance of winning – this is non-negotiable.

So how many cards should you buy per game? That is something the player needs to work out. For a beginner, three or four cards in play are plenty. If you find that you enjoy playing a few more cards and can handle the increased workload, your odds just improved. Most online venues have limits on the amount of cards players can have. It is also crucial to be aware if the prize is a set prize, or if it is calculated by the number of cards in play.

What is the Mathematical Probability of Getting Bingo?

Calculating the mathematical probability of getting Bingo has many different variables that make it nearly impossible to give one single formula to calculate it. Different rules and different patterns on players cards mean the odds are different in each circumstance.

Math Stack Exchange has an article explaining the mathematics behind most different scenarios.

How Many Calls Before Bingo Will Be Heard?

The length of a game of bingo is generally determined by how many players are in the game and how many cards are in play. The more possible bingo combinations there are in play the sooner the game will finish. For instance Wizard of Odds says that if one card is in play it is likely to take 41.37 moves on average to finish the game. But if there are 500 cards in play, on average the game will finish with just under 12 numbers being called out.

Cards in play Expected moves
One card:   41.37
10 cards: 25.51
50 cards: 18.28
100 cards: 15.88
200 cards: 13.82
500 cards: 11.56
1000 cards: 10.13

Can you improve your odds of winning?

Forget the odds, Bingo is all about taking your chances. The odds cannot really be meaningfully manipulated. Yes you might be able to play seven cards at once while your wife can play only manage five meaning you have slightly more chance of winning. But your outlay increases. The best way to improve your chance of winning is by making sure you mark your cards accurately. The pace of the Caller is known to get quick and a missed number on one of your seven cards could be the difference between winning and losing.

Myths About Online Bingo

  • The biggest myth among Bingo players is that certain patterns being played for give the player a greater chance of winning. Every player is playing the same pattern in a hall or online room and all numbers are drawn randomly so the odds of each card winning are identical.
  • Some people believe that there are patterns in online Bingo games. Developers have spent millions on the software and it is unlikely they would allow such a high stakes game to be predictable.
  • Online card games for real money are dodgy and you are better off playing Bingo at the local scout hall is a regular theme among gamblers. As long as you use a online bingo hall that has a strong reputation and is based in a country that has guidelines for businesses of this type you will be safe.

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