Introduction
80-ball bingo is the perfect middle ground - between the classic 90-ball bingo which is loved in the UK - and the American-style 75-ball bingo. Designed for bingo players who love a faster-paced game but still enjoy a bit of structure, this bingo variant delivers the best of both worlds!
It first made a splash in the early 2000s when online bingo sites were booming. Meanwhile, in the bingo halls, it is known as 'shutter bingo' - a game where you cover a number with a nifty little shutter.
If you're searching for the best sites to play at, We’ve rounded up the top-rated bingo sites along with the latest bingo sign-up offers to help you get started.
80-Ball Bingo
80-Ball Bingo Rules & Gameplay
At OLBG, we're all about bringing you the best bingo tips and insights to make your bingo experience even better. I’m Jenny Mason, and having spent years immersed in the UK bingo scene, I know exactly what makes a game truly exciting.
This guide is packed with well-researched information, and my OLBG colleague, Sam Darkens, has fact-checked it to ensure you’re getting the latest and most reliable details.
Playing an 80-ball bingo game is easy to follow. All bingo tickets have a 4x4 grid, meaning that there are 16 numbers in total. All of the boxes are filled with numbers, and there is no empty space in the middle as there is with 75 ball bingo.
The tickets are helpfully filled in with different coloured columns to help you play:
| Colour | Numbers |
|---|---|
| Red | 1 to 20 |
| Yellow | 21 to 40 |
| Blue | 41 to 60 |
| White | 61 to 80 |
In the bingo halls, when the numbers are drawn, the caller shouts out the bingo calls, and it’s your job to mark them off if they’re on your card. But don’t expect the usual ‘two fat ladies’ or ‘legs eleven’ - in 80-ball bingo, it’s all about the colours! You’ll hear bingo calls like ‘red 8’ or ‘white 63’ instead.
Online, it’s much simpler as the bingo software will automatically mark the number for you on your bingo tickets.
How to Win at 80-Ball Bingo
There are several ways that you can win at 80-ball bingo. The lines can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or patterned, such as the ‘4 corners’ variant. There’s also a full house win.
Here are all of the options:
- 1 Line: You win if you are the first player to complete a 4-number line in any direction.
- 2 Lines: daub 2 lines on your card which can be in any direction.
- Patterns: a popular pattern is 4 corners which is as you can imagine filling numbers on the 4 corners of the card. There are also ‘squares’ of 4 numbers in the middle or a cross pattern.
- Full house: if you mark off all 16 numbers on your card, you win the largest prize.
The Best Bingo Sites to Play 80 Ball Bingo
At OLBG you can Find top-rated UK bingo sites with great welcome bonuses to enjoy. Here’s our latest selection:
- huge range of payment options
- 24/7 customer support
- Wide range of promotions
- ‘Trophies’ loyalty scheme
Tips To Play 80-Ball Bingo
🎟️1. Buy Multiple Tickets (But Not Too Many!)
The more tickets you buy, the better your chances of winning. However, avoid purchasing more than you can comfortably keep track of, especially if you’re new to 80-ball bingo.
⏰2. Make Use of Bingo Site Bonuses & Promotions
Many online bingo sites offer welcome bonuses, free tickets, and deposit match offers to new and existing players. Using these promotions can extend your gameplay and increase your chances of winning without spending extra so check out the promotions section onsite.
👭3. Join a Bingo Community
Many online bingo sites have chat rooms where players can interact, share tips, and take part in chat games for extra rewards. Engaging with the community can make the game more enjoyable.
How to Play 75-Ball Bingo – Rules, Tips & Best Sites
How to Play 90-Ball Bingo – Rules, Tips & Winning Patterns
The Funniest & Most Famous UK Bingo Calls Explained 🎱
Final Thoughts
Online bingo sites love to keep things fresh and exciting, which is why they come up with new variants - and that’s exactly how 80-ball bingo was born. Bingo operators spotted a gap between the structured 90-ball game and the pattern-based 75-ball version, so they created the perfect middle ground to shake gameplay up.
I love mixing things up with different bingo variants, and 80-ball bingo is a firm favourite of mine. With fewer balls than the classic 90-ball game, it moves at a faster pace, adding an extra level of excitement to gameplay.
Do you enjoy 80-ball bingo? Drop a comment below - I’d love to hear your thoughts.
