If you are new to Online Bingo and wondering where you should start, then read on for a step by step guide on how to get started:
As we have been around the bingo block a few times, we know what it takes to find and join the best bingo sites and we would like to share our experience with you.
Choosing a Bingo Site
Firstly we suggest that one of the best ways to find a reliable and trustworthy online bingo site to play at, is through our very own Big Bonus Bingo site. That’s because we have picked out the top bingo sites in the UK from the hundreds out there and checked the safety and integrity of all the sites that we feature.
Now, from our list of leading online bingo sites, the next part of the process is over to you. Basically finding the right site requires you to ask the following sorts of questions:
Am I looking for bonuses and what sort of bonuses do I prefer? Are there more games on offer besides bingo? Do I want to play via my desktop or is bingo on the go / mobile bingo more important to me? Do I want to claim A No Deposit Bingo Bonus?
What stakes and prizes am I looking to play? Am I happy with low stakes/free games, or do I want progressive jackpot options? What does the site look like and is navigating from game-to-game simple?
After reading through our list of questions you are maybe wondering, where can I find the answer to those questions? Well, we have reviewed all of our recommended bingo sites. And we cover everything from the navigation and selection of games to the bonuses you can claim and whether a site is optimised for mobile use. Our bingo reviews will help you answer all the above questions and more, so you can make the right decision with ease. If you’re a new player, you might want to play some Free Bingo to get the ropes. MrQ Bingo offers 24 hours of free bingo to new players.
Opening an Account
At this stage in the process, it’s important that you’re as accurate as possible when you fill in your personal details. Because all licensed UK bingo sites are bound by certain laws, any false or inaccurate information can result in your account being closed. To complete the registration process you will need the following pieces of information:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number
- Username (you choose how you want to be identified onsite)
- Password (this needs to be at least 6 characters long and contain numerals, letters and, sometimes, special characters)
- Secret question (the answer to this question will help you recover any lost login details)
- Currency (choose your native currency)
Almost every bingo site or slot site that you join will require you to input a payment method of some kind immediately. This is so they can verify your age, as any player must be 18 years or over.
Sometimes extra verification of identity is asked for when you register. Acceptable forms of identification include:
- Valid Passport
- Valid Driving Licence
- National ID card
- Header of a bank/credit card statement*
- Header of a utility bill (gas, electricity, water, phone, council tax) *
- Letter from Inland Revenue/DSS/DWP*
* Usually these documents must be dated within the last three months unless you are providing an annual statement.
You can usually scan these in or take a photo and email them to an address provided by the site.
Using the Bingo Lobby and Choosing a Bingo Room
Once you have created your first account, it’s time to try out the Bingo Lobby and get used to the basic layout of the new bingo sites you have chosen. Although the sites will look slightly different, the underlying structure will be very similar.
The Lobby is where you find the list of rooms so you can decide what you want to play. Inside every bingo lobby, you’ll find a list of tabs either along the top of the page, down the left-hand side or inside a central menu. These tabs outline the main games eg. 90-ball, 75-ball, speed bingo, jackpot games, specials, themed games, new player games – and you choose the one that suits.
Once you’ve clicked on a tab, a list of games will appear with the one scheduled to start the soonest at the top. As well as countdown timers, you’ll also see information such as: ticket price, prize pool, number of registered players and game name. After finding a game you like, hit the “play now” or “register” button and you’re in.
The Bingo /Game Room usually appear in a pop-up window. To the left of the page you’ll be able to purchase a ticket (you can buy more than one) and at top you’ll see an icon that shows you the patterns required for a win. Also at the top of the page will be the prize pool and number of players in the game. In the centre of the page you’ll see your game card(s), while the numbers drawn will typically be shown in the top right of the screen along with an audio announcement. Often you will see a list of additional casino games, such as slots, on the right-hand side of the page.
Once inside a bingo room, you will be presented with various ways to buy your tickets. There may be a set number for you to choose or there may be an option that says ‘Max’ which would automatically select the total number of tickets available to you for that game. This could be anything from 6 to hundreds depending on where you are playing, so please take care when choosing this option. However, most sites won’t commit you to the purchase without a second confirmation that this is what you want to do, so you won’t mistakenly spend all your deposit on one game!
In summary:
If you are looking for some fun online game action without the need for complex moves, online bingo is one of the most exciting options around. And if you join one of our recommended bingo sites, you’ll find that everything is as easy as can be!