How do you increase your chances of winning? Well, since bingo is basically a
game of chance, like the lottery from which it evolved over the centuries,
perhaps the best way to win (or at least lose the minimum) is by avoiding the
games that offer the worst odds. Consider what it costs to play the amount of
the prize, the number of cards being played, and the number of squares to be
filled in the game pattern.
Compare, for example, a game that costs $1 a card and pays $50, with about 100
cards in play and a game that costs the same $1 a card and pays $100, with 200
cards in play. Your odds of winning are better in the first game, of course: 1
in 100 vs. 1 in 200. But the payout (50 to 1 vs. 100 to 1) makes the two games
about even, if you're in bingo for the money rather than just the thrill of
victory.
Keep in mind that few games of chance return such a low percentage of the
proceeds as bingo. Bingo operations may keep between 25 percent and 40 percent
of the buy-in money. The best payout that you can find is 80 percent at most. If
you hope to win at bingo, understanding the payout is an important
consideration.
Your best chance to win is to find bingo games that have the worst atmosphere:
anything that might reduce the number of players - or, more precisely, the
number of cards being played - will improve your odds. If you can do without
cozy surroundings and great lighting and free drinks or whatever else might
attract players, then you can avoid the bigger crowds and seek out better odds.
Of course, such parlors may not be very much fun to visit. On the
other hand, if you're just playing for fun and the off-chance of winning, then
pick the parlor you find most inviting.
It should be mentioned that many players try to increase their chances of
winning by playing more cards. That strategy seems statistically sound: players
who play more cards are more likely to win, but they're also investing more
money in the game and - according to at least one gambling expert - their
chances of losing are about the same. Of course, if you can get a deal by buying
several cards, so that you're not paying the full price, then you've got a
little advantage in terms of your investment.
Some experts advise players to purchase and get as many numbers as they can on a
maximum of four cards, to balance numerical coverage and financial investment.
But there's nothing magical about having four cards. Many bingo players believe
in choosing cards that contain certain numbers in strategic locations on the
cards, such as in diagonals and comers or "high-win" squares in
straight bingo. (The 16 high-win squares are the squares in any rows of five
that include the center, free square.) They swear by "lucky" numbers,
digits that have a special significance to them, for whatever reason. Do people
who play by "special numbers" win more often? No, but they probably
get more passionately involved in the game than other players. Unless you're in
it just for the money, that emotional excitement can be a big part of playing
bingo.
Along similar lines, many players trust in their good luck charms: trinkets,
photographs, rabbit's feet, four-leaf clovers, religious objects, and other
items. Some keep them in their pockets, while others place them around their
game cards. Some people play according to their astrological signs and the
horoscope. Again, there doesn't seem to be any charm that's definitely
advantageous, but the curious assortment of things certainly makes bingo games
more colorful.
Speaking of color, we should probably add here that many bingo players believe
in the power of colors, and their clothes reflect this. For example, red is
associated with energy, exerting a vital magnetism. Some players prefer green,
the color of money, in hopes that it will attract more of the same. Add a lucky
hat or a magical scarf to an outfit of a chosen color, and they believe the
ensemble will ensure they win!
Some players like to choose a lucky seat, a particular location in the room that
seems auspicious, perhaps facing a certain direction. (That's not unlike people
who will choose a particular table in a restaurant. Does that location actually
improve the food? Not likely. Does it make the food seem to taste better? Some
would swear by it.) Others like to have a lot of elbow room, or room to stretch
out their legs and be more comfortable. Do such preferences improve their
chances of winning? Yes, but only to the extent that the players can concentrate
better on the numbers called.
One published guide to winning consistently at bingo provides some
recommendations for gaining a numerical advantage through the laws of
probability. It advises players to study the patterns of numbers drawn as each
game progresses, then to try choosing game cards that fit those patterns. This
guide also suggests trying to choose cards with a lot of numbers in "the
median range" - although what that term means isn't really clear.
One suggestion is that you should select cards that cover a wide range of
numbers. Someone has calculated that in three cards chosen at random, the
combined 72 squares will average 22 duplicate numbers and 25 missing numbers.
So, it's reasoned, you should choose cards that cover as many of the seventy
five numbers as possible. That makes sense in terms of hitting on more numbers
as they're drawn, which is good for a psychological boost, but some players
might argue that a single number that shows up on three cards is as helpful as
three numbers that show up on one card each.
Also, this strategy doesn't work for coverall or blackout games. In fact, the
opposite strategy is recommended: you should choose cards that have as many
duplicated numbers as possible (the locations of the duplicated numbers are of
no importance). This is the number concentration method. To maximize on this
strategy, try to choose about six numbers (odds and evens, high and low) to be
heavily duplicated. The reasoning behind this strategy is to fill up as many
squares as quickly as you can, since only forty-eight to fifty numbers will be
drawn. You should also buy as many cards as possible if playing coverall or
blackout.
At the risk of confusing you, it should be mentioned that some players recommend
another strategy for coverall games, the even distribution method. This strategy
consists of choosing cards that cover as many of the seventy five numbers as
possible.
So, there are two opposite approaches to winning at coverall. Which one makes
more sense? That's up to you. You may want to experiment a little with both
approaches. There certainly must be reasons for bingo experts to disagree so
fundamentally.
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