Bingo patterns: 36 free 75-ball patterns with pictures
In 75-ball bingo you win by covering a shape on your card, and the caller names that shape before the first number. Here are the patterns halls and home games use most, each drawn out on a 5 by 5 card with the free space in gold. Tap Play under any of them and our free bingo caller deals the cards, calls the numbers in a real voice and checks every BINGO against that pattern. No sign-up and nothing to print, unless you want to.
Lines
The quick games: rows, columns and diagonals.
Corners, stamps and frames
Blocks and borders, from four corners to the full-card blackout.
Letters
Spell it out: T, L, H, U, E, C, N and Z.
Shapes
Diamonds, hearts, kites and glasses.
Fun and crazy
Rotating shapes and odd fills that keep everyone guessing.
How to call a bingo pattern
- Announce the pattern and show it. On BingoHoster, choose it in the game builder under Winning pattern and it is checked automatically.
- Remind players that the free space counts, and that lines can run in any direction unless you say otherwise.
- Call at a steady pace. Most of these patterns take 25 to 45 calls with a room of 20 cards, blackout takes 50 or more.
- When someone shouts, check the card against the pattern and the called numbers. BingoHoster does this for you and shows the result on every screen.
- For a full evening, run three or four games in a row: a quick one to warm up (four corners or any line), two medium patterns, and finish on blackout.
Patterns for a whole night
A good programme mixes speeds. Try any line, then postage stamp, then a letter that means something to the room, and finish with blackout for the big prize. For a themed evening, match the pattern to the occasion: a heart for Valentine's, a champagne glass for New Year's, and any of the Christmas bingo or birthday bingo ideas with their own themed board.
Prefer paper? The bingo card generator prints up to 500 unique 75-ball cards, and the printable bingo cards page has ready-made sets.
Questions people ask
What is a bingo pattern?
In 75-ball bingo the winner is the first player to cover a set shape on their 5 by 5 card, rather than a whole line or a full house as in UK 90-ball. The caller announces the pattern before the game starts. It can be as simple as any line or four corners, or a picture such as a letter, a diamond or a heart. Blackout, also called coverall, is every square on the card.
How many bingo patterns are there?
Hundreds, because any set of squares can be a pattern and halls invent new ones for holidays and themes. This page lists the 36 that come up most, in five groups: lines, corners and frames, letters, shapes, and the fun rotating ones like Crazy T and Crazy L.
Does the free space count in a bingo pattern?
Yes. The centre square of a 75-ball card is free and always counts as covered, so a pattern that passes through the middle, such as an X, a plus sign or a diamond, needs one fewer call.
Can I play these patterns online for free?
Yes. Every pattern on this page has a Play button. Solo deals you cards and races you against computer players, The Hoster puts the board on your TV for a room full of people, and Play Online Together sends tickets to friends' phones. BingoHoster checks every BINGO against the chosen pattern, and it is free with no sign-up.
What is the quickest bingo pattern?
Four corners and inside corners need only four numbers, and any line needs five, one of which can be the free space. Postage stamp is four numbers in a 2 by 2 corner block. The longest game is blackout, which needs all 24 numbers on a card and usually runs to 50 or 60 calls.
Which patterns work for a themed bingo night?
Heart for Valentine's, champagne glass for New Year's Eve, Christmas tree shapes in December, and the letter patterns for spelling out a birthday name. Pair them with one of BingoHoster's party themes, from Halloween to a summer beach, and the whole board dresses up too.