What do you really know about winning Bingo?

Bingo’s typically regarded as one of those games that’s entirely dependent on luck, rather than skill. “How can it possibly include skill,” you ask, “it’s all about buying the right board!”

It’s no secret that for every game of chance the world over, there are always those convinced that they have the inside track—and that you could benefit from it as well. Some of these are well-documented, sound options.

Poker, blackjack, roulette, and even online slots strategies are some of the most popular you’ll see on a day to day basis—but what about Bingo? Is there really a system out there that can help you win more consistently?

Get ready to cast away your lucky rabbit’s foot: we’re about to blow your mind.

Winning with Granville’s System

Our first contender is an American financier and investment seminar speaker, Joseph E. Granville. Known for his showmanship and highly quotable personality, Granville’s the founder of a bingo system based on statistics.

This beloved system is considered a strong strategy by statisticians and players alike. It’s fairly simple to understand. To beat the odds and make bingo one of the games with the highest payouts, just keep this in mind.

In a seventy-five-ball game, there’s a one in seventy-five chance for each ball being selected. Therefore, you can state that the number of balls ending with 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. have an equal chance of being drawn at the start. Because there’s also an equal number of even and odd balls—and high and low–, the probability of these numbers coming out first is the same.

Using these statistics, Granville suggests that 60% of the first ten balls drawn will have different last digits.

This makes sense because if, for example, a ball ending in a five is drawn, subsequently there are fewer balls ending in 5 remaining in the game and the probability of a five being drawn next drops.

But how do you use it? The system is based on three main principles: balance, diversity, and tracking.

Your first goal is to balance the bingo card. Granville believed that a balanced bingo card increases your chances of winning. In order to achieve that balance, you should choose cards that have an equal number of high and low numbers, odd and even numbers, and numbers that end in different digits.

Second, you should choose cards that have a diverse range of numbers. The reason is simple: the more diverse numbers on the card, the more likely it is that the winning numbers will be on the card. Therefore, always look for cards that have numbers spread out across the entire range of possibilities.

Finally, tracking: the third principle of the Granville system is to track the numbers that the dealer calls during the game. Granville postulated that by tracking the numbers that have been called, you’ll be able to better identify patterns and use that information to your advantage. It’s easy! Just make note of the numbers that have been called and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Tip(pett) the Odds in Your Favor

Our other bingo hack for you comes straight from Great Britain. Trust the English to bring bingo up to par with some of the other most beloved, challenging casino games!

British statistician L.H.C. Tippett believed that there was a way to predict the length of a bingo game based on the numbers that were drawn. The longer the game lasts, the more likely it is that the numbers drawn will be closer to the median number.

In contrast to Granville, the Tippett system is based on two main principles instead of three, both depending on the length of the game.

The first principle is that the more numbers called out in a game, the closer the average of the called-out numbers will be to the median number. If you think back to your elementary math classes, you’ll remember that the median number is halfway into the set: for seventy-five (as in seventy-five balls), the median is thirty eight.

Because of this, if it’s going to be a longer game, you should choose cards with numbers as close to 38 as possible.

The second principle of the Tippett system is exactly the opposite: in a short game, the numbers the dealer calls will be closer to either end of the number range than in the middle: so one, or seventy-five, the highest and lowest numbers on the card.

Therefore, if it’s a short game, you should choose cards with numbers that are in the extremes of highs and lows, rather than the mid-range: as close to one or seventy five as possible.

The trick is in knowing whether the game will be short or long. How many balls will be called?

It’s all about the rules of the game, baby.

It depends on the style you’re playing. If you’re playing games with the more standard, simple winning patterns (such as horizontal, vertical, or diagonal), the chances are that fewer balls will be needed in order for someone to win. In this case, choose the cards with the numbers on either side of the spectrum: highs and lows.

If, in contrast, you’re playing a game that has a more complex winning pattern, such as blackout bingo (where you must cover every single spot on your card in order to win), it stands to reason that it’s going to take a ton more balls being called in order to find a winner

If this is the case, you’re going to want to find a card that has numbers as close to the median as possible: right around that 35 point.

Don’t be afraid to experiment! While there’s no foolproof way to guarantee a win, the savvy gambler is always going to combine these two methods to make sure that they’re getting the most bang for their bingo—and cash for their card.

Strategy, Science, Statistics: That’s a Bingo!