BINGO game

Hi guys. I'm studying bingo and I'm really lost in how to calculate its RTP. If there are 100 cards given. The possibility of winning is 1/100 right? Losing would be 99/100, but having a tie is also a possibility, or having 3 winners, 4 winners, …, to all the players winning (somehow). So I don't really know how to calculate this. Do you guys have any idea how? Suppose the payout ration is 1:1.

I assume that if there is a tie, the prize is split equally. In that case, the expected return = the prize divided by the total number of cards in the game.

Quote: MathCurious

Hi guys. I'm studying bingo and I'm really lost in how to calculate its RTP. If there are 100 cards given. The possibility of winning is 1/100 right? Losing would be 99/100, but having a tie is also a possibility, or having 3 winners, 4 winners, …, to all the players winning (somehow). So I don't really know how to calculate this. Do you guys have any idea how? Suppose the payout ration is 1:1.

So your probability of winning bingo with 1 card is always going to be the ratio of 1 (or yourself) to the total number of card entries + the probability of a tie. So I've seen bingo played with 20 by 20 cards which are crazy but if your standard bingo card is a 5 by 5 then there are 53,130 winning combinations. This means you would need to buy all 53,130 unique bingo cards to ensure a win. Ties can only be calculated per total of cards and the number of turns that go by. The more turns it takes to obtain a winner the odds of a tie increase vice versa.

So the formula is p = c/o + t
p = probability
c = # of your cards
I = # of opponents cards
t = probability of tie

*note that if the sum of c + o = 53,130 then t = 0
*note that this formula doesn't apply to bingo games that sell repeated cards without first giving out all 53,130 possible winning combinations. This usually doesn't happen.

It’s the number of cards in play vs how many cards you possess. There will always be a maximum and minimum buy in amount for each player. You also have to factor in the cost of each card or pack and it’s pay out, as many bingos are not paid equally. Nor the sessions will be the same as certain rooms will offer double or even triple bingo payouts. Believe it or not, you can find an AP even in Bingo. I am most likely responsible for Stations revising its coverall game almost 2 decades ago and I know I am definitely responsible for one bingo room to revise its maximum buy in amounts at one the Northern Nevada casinos.

I think the important message about bingo is that you can't gain an edge no matter what because the operators just collect from the paid winnings. So even if it's just you and 1 other person you can't gain an edge because if the buyin is $5 the winning price will be less than $10 but must be greater than $6 to be considered a win, to begin with. But most likely the operators are taking 10-20% so you could get $8 for winning against 1 person but you are risking losing $5 or losing $1 if you tie lol.

Quote: USpapergames

I think the important message about bingo is that you can't gain an edge no matter what because the operators just collect from the paid winnings. So even if it's just you and 1 other person you can't gain an edge because if the buyin is $5 the winning price will be less than $10 but must be greater than $6 to be considered a win, to begin with. But most likely the operators are taking 10-20% so you could get $8 for winning against 1 person but you are risking losing $5 or losing $1 if you tie lol.

You are incorrect. Casinos can lose money during a session. Does not happen too often, but they can. Even to a point that they have the right to cancel a session as well.

Quote: Vegasrider

You are incorrect. Casinos can lose money during a session. Does not happen too often, but they can. Even to a point that they have the right to cancel a session as well.

Wow really, I've never played bingo at a casino before so I must have the payout structure wrong. How is it possible for a casino to lose money on bingo? I could see casinos losing money because there aren't enough players to skimp from the winning payouts. For example, it's much easy to take $2 from a $5 buyin if there are 200 entries as opposed to just 2 people. A $400 loss doesn't seem like a lot when you're making a $595 profit as opposed to a $2 loss and $3 profit ;)

Quote: USpapergames

Wow really, I've never played bingo at a casino before so I must have the payout structure wrong. How is it possible for a casino to lose money on bingo? I could see casinos losing money because there aren't enough players to skimp from the winning payouts. For example, it's much easy to take $2 from a $5 buyin if there are 200 entries as opposed to just 2 people. A $400 loss doesn't seem like a lot when you're making a $595 profit as opposed to a $2 loss and $3 profit ;)

Payout structure is the magic word. The casino I play must have a minimum of 10 players in order for the session to be played. On rare occasions, I would be fortunate enough to play with only a dozen players. I purchase the most expensive packs worth the highest payouts and max out with 240 cards knowing that most people in the room don't buy the max and a couple playing paper only. I hit 70% or 7 out of ten games that paid $100 each. But in general, most bingo rooms will have enough players to pay out all bingos and post a profit. But with some casinos offering 4 chance $1000 coveralls, if they have a small turnout, that could be hard to overcome.

I played bingo at the riverside in Laughlin
Huge room.
They removed half the seats for social distancing
I played
Nobody near me
But
I had the urge to cough
Not a good sound to hear these days
I think the ventilation was terrible
I thought I really took a risk.
I heard the Tropicana laughlin had a new bingo room with good ventilation. I checked it out. A lot smaller then riverside. No seats removed, they added dividers.
No thanks
At red rocks.
Bingo room huge with high ceiling and excellent ventilation. Hslf the seats removed. They said not busy so I'll probably play for a little fun

Quote: terapined

I played bingo at the riverside in Laughlin
Huge room.
They removed half the seats for social distancing
I played
Nobody near me
But
I had the urge to cough
Not a good sound to hear these days
I think the ventilation was terrible
I thought I really took a risk.
I heard the Tropicana laughlin had a new bingo room with good ventilation. I checked it out. A lot smaller then riverside. No seats removed, they added dividers.
No thanks
At red rocks.
Bingo room huge with high ceiling and excellent ventilation. Hslf the seats removed. They said not busy so I'll probably play for a little fun

There are good and bad sessions, make sure you pick a session that offers double or triple payouts or a 3 chance $1000 coverall. Never play during the weekend, way too many players. With many of the casinos not reopening who had bingo, such as Texas Stations, Rampart, all those players have migrated to other rooms. Kind of like poker, players will just find another place to play.

Quote: Vegasrider

There are good and bad sessions, make sure you pick a session that offers double or triple payouts or a 3 chance $1000 coverall. Never play during the weekend, way too many players. With many of the casinos not reopening who had bingo, such as Texas Stations, Rampart, all those players have migrated to other rooms. Kind of like poker, players will just find another place to play.

I enjoyed bingo at Red Rocks
I felt very safe
They removed 75% of the chairs
Only 1/3 of available chairs filled so not a lot of people. 1st game was weird as it included all the Stations casinos. After that just people in the room could win.
I have yet to hit a bingo. I generally play out of convenience and timing rather then planning. I just happen to walk by a bingo place, looks safe (big room. Good ventilation, not crowded) and I feel like chilling for an hour

Quote: terapined

I enjoyed bingo at Red Rocks
I felt very safe
They removed 75% of the chairs
Only 1/3 of available chairs filled so not a lot of people. 1st game was weird as it included all the Stations casinos. After that just people in the room could win.
I have yet to hit a bingo. I generally play out of convenience and timing rather then planning. I just happen to walk by a bingo place, looks safe (big room. Good ventilation, not crowded) and I feel like chilling for an hour

1st game is their progressive game which is linked with the other Station properties that has Bingo. There is always a consolation for that game so there is a payout each night. The quailifier gets easier to hit as time goes by if I'm not mistaken. Been a long time. I remember when the progressive got to a high dollar amount with the lowest qualifier, I would purchase the maximum cards allowed and purchase the absolute minimum packs for that session. When that progressive game is over, I would leave.

Also pay attention to the cash ball amounts for each session. If its at a high amount that will attract crowds. I never validate, I don't incorporate that exotic wager into my sessions so I do the opposite, I like to go to sessions with real low jackpot amounts so that there are less players. And most importantly, max out your machine. Buy the maximum amount allowed.

Quote: Vegasrider

1st game is their progressive game which is linked with the other Station properties that has Bingo. There is always a consolation for that game so there is a payout each night. The quailifier gets easier to hit as time goes by if I'm not mistaken. Been a long time. I remember when the progressive got to a high dollar amount with the lowest qualifier, I would purchase the maximum cards allowed and purchase the absolute minimum packs for that session. When that progressive game is over, I would leave.

Also pay attention to the cash ball amounts for each session. If its at a high amount that will attract crowds. I never validate, I don't incorporate that exotic wager into my sessions so I do the opposite, I like to go to sessions with real low jackpot amounts so that there are less players. And most importantly, max out your machine. Buy the maximum amount allowed.

What local bingo rooms would you consider the safest in the age of the virus.
Thinking of playing on Monday
I really liked red rocks. Huge, high ceilings, well ventilated and not busy.
I was very comfortable
I want to yell bingo at least once

Quote: terapined

What local bingo rooms would you consider the safest in the age of the virus.
Thinking of playing on Monday
I really liked red rocks. Huge, high ceilings, well ventilated and not busy.
I was very comfortable
I want to yell bingo at least once

Avoid the weekends, avoid where there is a large cash ball jackpot for the session. Don’t validate and max out the machine. Sit in the back, nobody behind you. Wipe down your area with disinfectant including your machine.

Good luck.