All bingo sites that we feature have gone through an extensive review, so we can guarantee you, the player, that they’re fun, secure and have great welcome offers and bonuses! 

There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes of a bingo site. We’ll run through some of the main things you should know all about bingo sites below:

Welcome offers

Almost every bingo site out there has a welcome offer. It's an easy way to entice new players or even steal away seasoned bingo players from other sites.

Welcome offers do not always mean a big bonus. In many cases, welcome offers include free spins and bingo tickets. Free spins aren't the way to do it if you're dreaming about big wins. However, it is a great way to explore a new site and play different games before committing to playing with money.

Many bingo sites don't have great welcome offers but don't let this deter you from playing. Offers aren't only available to new players. To keep up with the competition, bingo sites regularly promote offers to both new and existing players.

Liquidity

Liquidity is a term you've likely not heard being shouted around across bingo sites, but it's an important term and one you should be aware of.

We'll first give a bit of background about bingo networks to understand liquidity in more detail. 

Bingo networks refer to the same bingo game but are played across multiple sites. Essentially, the site you're playing bingo on is hosting the game but not running it. That same bingo game is also taking place across multiple other bingo sites.

There is a benefit to this; when multiple sites pool their players together, the increase in volume leads to a bigger and better prize.

So when we talk about liquidity, we refer to the available prize money across the networks. 

Liquidity grows as the number of players increases.

Minimal game players and empty chat rooms all lead to a decline in liquidity, meaning your potential to win a big cash prize will be non-existent.

However, it's up to the bingo site to efficiently manage this.

The more players in a game, the less likely you will win. So to work around this, a good bingo site will open up more bingo rooms or add more prizes, making the games that much fairer.

Bingo software

New bingo games pop up frequently, but several software companies behind them dominate the industry. This means that you may play ten different bingo games, but there's a good chance it's the same couple of software companies that have created all of them. It probably now makes sense why so many games and playing experiences are similar.

Some of the best-known software in the industry include:

  • Begame
  • Dragonfish
  • Entain
  • Gamesys 
  • Rank Group
  • Relax Gaming
  • Pragmatic Play
  • Playtech
  • Proprietory

Software companies don't run and manage websites themselves. They're solely responsible for creating, designing, and developing a game. From there, your experience sits with the operators.

Thanks to the latest web technologies, the quality of online games is getting better and better. This means that games are instantly available to you without downloading software. This also makes gaming on the go via mobile accessible for everyone.

It's worth checking out the software behind some of your favourite bingo games because you can then start to search for more games by the same company - there's a good chance you'll enjoy them too!

Games

A great range of games separates the great bingo sites from the inferior ones.

If you play bingo often, you're likely familiar that even the best games can get old after a few plays. The best bingo sites out there have listened to their players and continue to release new games regularly.

Some of the best bingo sites with the greatest range of games include; Tombola. This is no surprise as the biggest bingo site in the UK. Aside from the regular 75, 90 and 90 ball bingo games, Tombola has extended its range to include less familiar but as exciting games; Bingo Roulette, Picture Bingo, Potions, Blocks and many more.

Promotions

Promotions are frequently popping up as well as being ever-changing across bingo sites. These aren't always cash prize-related but can include free spins that many players enjoy.

While promotions offering big cash prizes are enticing, they're actively promoted across a number of bingo networks. This essentially means more competition. However, it's a catch 22 as large cash prizes are often high because of the number of players involved.

It's important to remember that when a prize doesn't involve money, it doesn't mean it's a game worth skipping! Shopping vouchers, the latest technology, and experiences, including holidays, racing days, and a ride on the famous Belmond British Pullman train, have been real prizes in promotions across well-known bingo sites.

Community

Socialising online in bingo chatrooms isn't for everyone, but it is what keeps many players returning to the same sites.

Often, extra prizes are up for grabs in forums, so it's well worth checking in on them from time to time.

There are plenty of benefits to joining the online bingo community:

  • Discover the latest games and offers.
  • Make the chat host aware of any issues on the site and have them resolved quickly.
  • Meet people with similar interests.
  • Encourages players to return time and time again, which means prize money increases.

While chat rooms are typically a feature of bingo sites, slot and casino sites have since seen their popularity and importance, adding them to their sites. At the same time, some bingo sites don't see the community aspect as essential and have removed existing forums altogether.

User experience 

User experience plays a significant role in securing happy players. From design to speed to customer support, you won't attract or retain players for long if any of these are lacking.

There's been a significant shift from desktop to mobile play in recent years, and it's no surprise. Mobile bingo means players can play their favourite bingo games on the go, wherever they are. It's crucial, therefore, that bingo sites make sure their games are accessible to different devices, ios and android in particular. 

Some of our favourite bingo sites for their notable user experience include;

  • Fabulous Bingo
  • 888 Ladies
  • Mecca Bingo
  • Buzz Bingo

Payment methods

Everyone has their preferred payment method, so bingo sites must be as flexible as possible.

Fortunately, many bingo sites now accept not only cards but Paypal and payment by phone.  

Just make you're aware of the additional costs that can sometimes come with online payments, including deposit and withdrawal charges. Some bingo sites also have a preferred payment method, so it's well worth checking the terms and conditions for potential charges associated with other payment types.

Trust and security

The one thing you need to look for first and foremost with every bingo site is that they have a license from the UK Gambling Commission. 

The UK Gambling Commission goes to great lengths to regulate online and offline gambling.

All UK bingo and gambling sites must have one, so it's a red flag if you can't spot it on the homepage.

Bingo sites should be building trust with their players.

There are several things they need to do to help them on their way:

  • Being clear with players on how each of their games works
  • Ensuring games are fair, e.g. capping players at a certain amount of bingo tickets
  • Offer fast and reliable customer support

Awards

While looking for bingo sites with awards isn’t necessary, it’s a good indication that you’re about to play on a site that many enjoy.

The player votes for awards, so you can be confident that a bingo site has won these awards based on real players.

If a bingo site has won an award, they’ll likely be shouting about it, so you’ll soon come across it on their site.

Terms and conditions

T&Cs aren’t the most exciting pieces of content to read through, but they’re there for a reason.

It’s worth at least scanning through them as any critical need to know the information will be there, and it’ll prevent any surprises popping up at a later date and, for example, having to pay to withdraw prize money.