The more you play, the more chances you have of winning. The Cheersbingo website is one of the best platforms to try this since every game is an opportunity to win prizes or hit a jackpot. When you go to a bingo hall, you can purchase many bingo cards and play against them. The best way to win at bingo is to make sure you’re using your money wisely. Set yourself a budget Bingo doesn’t have to cost the earth. Work out what you can afford and stick to it.

A few days ago I was having a coffee with a couple of bingo-fanatic relatives. Sure enough, after detailing every single winning session from recent memory, they started discussing 'winning bingo tactics.'

Can You Increase the Chances of Winning?

One of them was entirely convinced that you can, in fact, make a difference by using bingo systems; I argued that you can only increase your chances of winning at bingo by buying more bingo cards.

Isn't bingo just like lottery, in which it makes no difference which numbers you choose because each of them is as likely to come? Therefore, in order to have more chances to win, you need more combinations that can match the winning numbers, or in other words, more bingo cards?

I couldn't help but doing some research on the subject once I got home. Have people actually 'invented' bingo systems? Is there something I'm missing? How likely are you to win at bingo anyway?

I found out that there are ways you can improve your chances of winning at bingo. None of them, however, have anything to do with selecting a sequence of numbers that would be more likely to win than others.

So let's debunk that myth first.

Winning Bingo Systems

There's absolutely no way of choosing numbers that are more likely to come than others. There are bingo systems, sure, but none of them give you an advantage any different than if you were to choose the numbers at random. Here are a couple of them:

Granville's System

One of the most famous systems was invented by Joseph E. Granville, a mathematical analyst known for bold predictions in the investment world, and who had 'The Granville Market Letter' that 'is at the bottom of the Hulbert Financial Digest's rankings for performance over the past 25 years - having produced average losses of more than 20 percent per year on an annualized basis,' according to Wikipedia.

Granville advises you to choose bingo numbers that make the card symmetric and systematic. Here's what a perfectly symmetric card needs:

• A balance of odd and even balls.
• A balance of high and low balls.
• The card needs to have a the same quantity of numbers ending in 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. (For instance, 21, 32, 43, 54, 65...)

Granville says that if you truly understand probability, you also understand why it makes sense to choose numbers this way. He reasons that in the long run, you'll get an equal amount of high and low numbers, an equal amount of odd and even numbers, etc. so it makes sense to use them as your bingo numbers.

But this makes no sense. Of course you're going to have the same amount of odd and even (or high and low) numbers in the long run - in fact, that's exactly the point. Each number is equally likely to come and therefore they're dispersed equally in the long run, however, they're also equally likely to come in your next bingo game. Every number has an equal chance to come.

Granville has written a book called How to Win at Bingo.

Tippett's System

L. H. C. Tippett suggests that, in a 75-number game for example, the longer the game goes on, the closer to 38 (the median number) you should go for. So in early stages, you're going to have more numbers closer to 1 and 75, and in later stages the numbers are going to be closer to 38.

Tippett instructs you to use numbers close to 1 and 75 in shorter games (and numbers close to 38 in longer games). But even if this would be advisable to do (it makes no difference), how can you predict whether the game is going to be long or not?

There's no sensible logic behind Tippett's theory.

Other Systems

Any system that includes a certain way to pick numbers, a sequence of numbers or any sort of prediction regarding which numbers are going to come or in what order won't work.

How to Increase Chances of Winning

Even though it's impossible to predict bingo numbers, and there's no skill factor against other players like in poker games, you can still increase your chances of winning at bingo by selecting your games carefully, buying more bingo cards and selecting the right cards .

So how can you win at bingo more often?

• Buy the maximum amount of cards.
  Although it should be added that buy the maximum amount that you can keep track of.
• Buy cards in discount packages.
  Always ask for quantity discounts and use them; you'll save money right there and much more in the long run.
• Play in games with fewer competitors.
  The less competitors, the more chances you have to win, simple as that. Find out which nights and games draw less people.
• Join bingo clubs.
  Get tips from experienced players who likely have inside information on the best games nearby.
• Get bingo bonuses.
  If you play online at bingo sites like Downtown Bingo, you receive a bonus for the deposit that you've made.

Using the bingo tips above will help you to win more money. They may sound like simple 'how to win at bingo' tips, however, they're about the only thing you can do to increase your chances in a game like bingo in which you're unable to predict or influence the outcome - only the setting.

Odds of Winning at Bingo

So to wrap-up this article, what are your odds of winning at bingo?

Suggesting all players buy the same amount of bingo cards, each player is as likely to win as the other one. So if 20 players entered a bingo game and each one had two bingo cards, your odds of winning would be 19:1, so you would win with a 5% probability.

On the other hand, if all the other players were to buy one bingo card and you bought four of them, your odds of winning would be about 5.8:1 and your probability of winning 17%.

That's how big of a difference the amount of cards you buy can make.

Can the appropriate bingo strategy help you win more often at the bingo hall in 2019?

I believe that it can.

Best Way To Win At Bingo Games

Below, I offer several tips for bingo players who want to maximize their chances of winning at their local bingo hall — or even at a bingo hall elsewhere that they’re visiting.

Bingo Strategy Involves Having a Plan for Your Play

Okay, I know that bingo is entirely random, but there are still things you can do to improve your probability of winning.

That’s because there’s a human element to the game.

When you play the lottery, you still have to look at the lottery ticket to see if it’s a winner, right?

If you never looked at it, you couldn’t claim your winnings.

Bingo involves even more effort on the part of the player. You have to keep up with the numbers as they get called.

And if you have multiple bingo cards (which you should), that can be a lot to keep up with.

One of the tricks to keeping up with it all is staying in the right mindset. If I’m rushed and stressed out, I can’t concentrate as well. That’s why I recommend getting to the bingo hall early.

I also like to make sure I have everything I’m going to need when I’m there. I have plenty of cash, my bingo dauber, and aspirin.

I don’t need any distractions if I can help it.

I want to get into a relaxed state of flow so that I know when it’s my turn to yell, “Bingo!”

Masking Tape Is Better than Duct Tape for Bingo Players

You might be thinking, why do I need masking tape to play bingo?

It’s so you can tape your bingo card down and prevent it from slipping around while you play.

When you’re dealing with multiple bingo cards, which you’ll need to do if you want to maximize your odds of winning, you’ll need to find a way to keep them from slipping or falling.

If you miss a number on a card because you dropped something, you’ve hurt your probability of winning.

That’s a big no-no.

I like to think of bingo as being comparable to a sport.

Nah, it’s not as hard as hitting home runs or kicking a football, but it requires skill and attention nonetheless.

In fact, anything you can do to eliminate distractions will improve your odds. Sit close to the front so you can hear the caller. Don’t drink alcohol or smoke marijuana before playing. Be sure you’ve had plenty of sleep.

Masking tape is just the most physical and obvious way of eliminating distractions, and that’s what bingo strategy is all about, really.

Remember that Bingo Is a Numbers Game

Bingo is all about the numbers, just like keno and the lottery are. And there are ways to stack those numbers in your favor.

The jackpot in a bingo game grows larger when you have more players. That’s because the prize is a function of how many people bought bingo cards.

This doesn’t mean that going to bingo when it’s most crowded is the best way to win, though. Sure, when you do win — on occasion — you’ll win bigger prize amounts.

But you’ll win far less often.

So one of the tricks to winning at bingo on a consistent basis is to play when you have fewer competitors.

Consider the difference between playing in a poker tournament with 10,000 entrants and a poker tournament with 10 entrants.

Which poker tournament are you more likely to win?

Obviously, you’re more likely to win the poker tournament with 9 opponents, even though the prize pool won’t be as big.

The other way to tilt the numbers in your favor is to buy as many bingo cards as you can afford and pay attention to. The more bingo cards you have, the more likely you are to hit a winner.

That’s the point of the masking tape and all the “stay alert” tips in the previous section.

Stay Leery of Any Bingo Strategy for “Advanced Players”

I read a post on another site talking about intermediate and advanced bingo players. I don’t think there’s much of a distinction to make here. Bingo isn’t poker, and bingo players shouldn’t pretend it is.

Yes, there’s a minor skill element, but the emphasis should be on the word “minor.”

If you want to learn how to calculate the odds of winning at bingo, great, but that doesn’t IMPROVE your odds of winning.

It’s kind of like slot machines. You can read and try to implement as many “strategies” as you like, but at the end of the day, you’re subject to the whims of the goddess of luck.

How do you calculate your odds of winning?

Divide how many cards you have by the total number of cards in the game.

If you’re playing in a big hall where they sold 1000 cards, and you’re playing 10 cards, your probability of winning is 1% (10 divided by 1000).

And you don’t have to stand there and count how many cards they sell. Just count how many players are in the room with a quick estimate. Multiply that number by the average number of cards you see in use.

That will give you a great approximation.

Don’t Worry about Which Numbers Have Already Come Up

Some bingo players fall into the Gambler’s Fallacy trap.

What Is The Trick To Winning Bingo

The Gambler’s Fallacy is the belief that previous results have an effect on the probability of future results.

Sometimes people who fall for this think that numbers become due when they haven’t been drawn in a long time.

Others think that numbers that are coming up often are “hot.”

Both of these types of players are wrong, though. Sure, you’ll see hot and cold streaks for various numbers.

But those streaks are only visible in retrospect.

They have no predictive value.

So don’t waste your time and the employees’ time at the bingo hall by trying to buy cards that account for which numbers have been drawn. It won’t work. Your probability of winning doesn’t change.

Every bingo game is an independent event, in the same way that every pull of the lever on a slot machine is an independent event.

Previous results don’t affect the probability of future results.

It’s All about Optimizing Your Own Attention and Success Rate

Here’s an example of a sneaky trick you can use to make yourself more efficient with your bingo cards:

At some bingo halls, you can play the same cards repeatedly. You can just save them and use them again.

This DOESN’T change the odds of those cards winning. The odds stay the same.

But as you use the same cards repeatedly, you start to learn where the numbers on the cards are.

This means you can play more cards at a time without having to worry about missing marking a number because you have so many cards in play.

The idea is that if you can play 20 cards at a time accurately — a probably superhuman feat — you can have twice the odds of winning as a person who plays 10 cards at a time.

Some caffeine isn’t a bad idea, either. Studies have shown that people who drink coffee before a test perform better on the test.

Just don’t drink so much coffee that it screws up your sleep schedule.

Use Appropriate Money Management Techniques as Part of Your Bingo Strategy

Under no circumstances should you buy bingo cards with money you need for other purposes. It doesn’t matter how lucky you feel. You can only play bingo with money you don’t need for life’s necessities.

The inherent nature of bingo is the same as the inherent nature of any gambling game. The odds are against you.

In other words, you’re probably going to lose.

That’s the main rule of money management, regardless of what gambling “experts” like John Patrick might want you to believe.

His gambling advice is always related to money management, even though he’s written dozens of “strategy” books.

But his techniques involve lots of mumbo jumbo and arbitrary starting and stopping points.

For example, he suggests setting aside a percentage of your total gambling bankroll as a “session bankroll.”

You then set a win goal and a loss limit. That’s usually a percentage of your session bankroll — maybe 40%.

The idea is that if you lose 40% of your session bankroll, you quit until the next session.

And if you win 40% of your session bankroll, you quit then, too.

Of course, neither of these arbitrary stopping points do anything to increase or decrease your odds of winning.

At best, they’ll give you an arbitrary way to force yourself to leave a winner — at least once in a while.

But no amount of money management will make for a good bingo strategy.

Finally

Those are my best bingo strategy tips given the nature of the game in 2019. I’m sure I’ve left something out, but I hope you enjoyed reading this anyway.

Do me a favor and leave me a comment and let me know what I might have missed?