Bingo Patterns Guide: 21+ Different Patterns You Should Know

Bingo is a highly popular game of chance. If it's your firm favorite, it is important to know a few things about bingo-winning patterns. 

There are 32,760 unique combinations in a variety of shapes and forms. They are generated when matching numbers on a ticket are randomly called out.

In this guide, you will discover the most common patterns used in different versions of bingo.

Learning them all could prove very useful in winning a prize, either at land-based bingo halls or on modern gambling sites with online bingo rooms.

Here is what you will discover in this guide:

• What Are Bingo Patterns
• 21+ Bingo Patterns You Should Know 
• Any Way Rule
• Bingo Pattern Odds
• Tips and Tricks

Without further ado, let's dive right in!

What Are Bingo Patterns?

Depending on what type of bingo you're playing, the pattern may change. That’s why it is crucial to learn the rules of each room you want to join. 

There are also some bingo games with multiple patterns, offering different prizes for each way to win.

In most bingo games, you will find the following basic patterns: 

• 1 Line
• 2 Lines
• Full House
• Four Corners
• Letters and Numbers
• Top Middle Bottom Line 

Nonetheless, in time, you may also encounter more complex ones, like: 

• Outside Edge
• Any Four Numbers
• Clock, Windmill 
• Pyramid
• Arrow
• Blackout

If you want to read more on the basics before making the next step, check our how-to-play bingo guide to upgrade your expertise.

21+ Bingo Patterns You Should Know 

In this chapter, we will focus on the most popular bingo patterns first. Most of them can be found in 75-ball bingo, but some can appear in 90-ball games too. 

That’s why it is essential to check the details of each room before you buy tickets. 

The following shapes are relatively easy to form:

Lines 

1 Line and 2 Lines represent the most standard bingo patterns to play and achieve. If it’s 1L, we’re talking about a single string of numbers. 

Forming two lines on the same ticket is known as 2L. Depending on whether you’re playing 75 or 90-ball bingo, you will need at least four or five numbers, respectively. In the first variant, the line can be formed in any direction: horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. 

If you’re playing the second version, you can only form it horizontally. Forming a line in a specific location on the ticket can also be rewarding. The two-line pattern is used in every game of bingo.

Full house 

The third standard pattern is known as full house. You must cover every space on the bingo ticket to reach the final prize. 

It also signifies the end of the game, and it comes with a greater reward than 1L and 2L.

Four corners

This is perhaps the simplest bingo game pattern of all. It only requires you to complete four spaces on the ticket. The pattern is used in 75-ball bingo.

Outside numbers

Also known as ‘outside edge’, this pattern is no easy task at all since it requires marking down sixteen numbers all around the edge of the ticket. 

This pattern can also be seen only in 75-ball bingo, as it requires a square-shaped ticket.

Letters, numbers and shapes 

Due to their probability, these bingo game patterns are the most commonly seen formats next to the lines and full house. 

They are quite easy to make and simple to understand. Some include:

• Letters, like T, H, X
• Numbers, such as 3, 4, 7, or 8.
• Shapes, like an arrow.

Special Bingo Patterns

Generally speaking, there is a huge variety of bingo patterns, ranging from basic to special types. 

In the following list, you can find some examples of special bingo patterns:

• Clock bingo pattern - you will easily recognize its shape due to the large circle around the outside of the ticket; there is even a clock hand on the inside, pointing at random direction
• Wine glass pattern - trendy among players, this shape is pretty straightforward to notice; it can be full or empty
• Windmill bingo pattern  - popular in many 75 ball bingo rooms, this shape is easy to recognize due to four squares in each corner; there is also a connecting space in the middle and since it’s so difficult to achieve, the pattern may often award a jackpot)
• Bell pattern - also called Christmas tree, this shape consists of thirteen numbers on a 75-ball bingo ticket

• Candy cane - The cane-shaped stick candy is usually associated with Christmastide; it is a popular pattern on many bingo sites
• Witches hat  - a Halloween favorite, the pattern requires 13 numbers, and it is usually played around the spookiest holiday of the year
• Arrow pattern - this multidirectional shape can be formed on a 75-ball bingo ticket in any corner; due to the lower number of spaces, arrows can be completed quickly
• Center row - a straight line forming a sequence on the middle of a ticket; entry-level difficulty

• Crazy T - rotated by 90, 180, or 270 degrees on bingo tickets to help players form a winning combo more easier
• Crazy pyramid - taking up 9 spaces on the ticket, this combination is also one of the easiest patterns to make; it too can be in any direction
• The kite - an interesting pattern that reminds of a triangular aircraft for children; it can be formed in any direction
• The airplane - seen from a bird’s eye view, this combination is very interesting and challenging; it can be positioned in all four directions on a ticket

• The dollar - shaped as the famous symbol of USD, the pattern is quite easy to achieve
• The turtle - another funny combination to have fun with; it is seen from above and it’s not difficult to obtain
• 4x4 block - it stretches across 16 spaces and can be placed in any corner of the ticket; 9 positions always remain blank

Hard Bingo Patterns

Apart from the most common combinations and shapes in 75, 90 balls, or some other type of this game, you will also run into hard bingo patterns. 

Perhaps the most challenging tickets are those with the so-called crazy and wild patterns, which can be rotated by up to 270 degrees or even located anywhere on the card. 

Here are 2 examples:

• The cloverleaf is quite difficult to create. This winning pattern is applicable for the US bingo only, containing four numbers in the shape of a square in all four corners. 

• The diamond is another not-so-easy pattern to achieve. There are inside diamonds and outside diamonds, requiring players to usually mark off 4 numbers placed in the shape of this precious mineral on the card.

The Any Way Rule

If a bingo game is played “any way” it means that the bingo win patterns can be completed in any direction. 

Depending on the bingo site you are playing at, you will see different rules, like rotated by 90 degree or more, pointed horizontally, vertically, diagonally, and so forth. 

There are nearly unlimited patterns that may be specified for play, but if you come across the ‘any way’ rule, remember that experience is everything!

Bingo Patterns Odds

If we look at the winning bingo patterns from a mathematical point of view, there is a 50% chance that one card will require around 41 calls to complete a game. A single card will need approximately a 90% chance to complete bingo in 54 calls.

In general, the odds of winning a certain bingo combination will depend on the type of game you’re playing. The number of spaces on the ticket needed to complete the pattern is also important.

On top of that, these patterns must often be completed within a set number of balls. Such a prerequisite adds difficulty and decreases the odds of winning. 

Since calculating the exact odds is a real mathematical challenge, you should try making a rough estimate based on the number of tickets. 

If you add how many numbers you need to match before completing a pattern, you might just crack the probability equation, but that’s not the point.

Instead, focus on easier patterns. They require fewer numbers to complete. 

For example, completing a four-corner pattern before the 20th ball will have a higher probability than the windmill pattern before its 50th ball.

5 Tips and Tricks for Using Bingo Patterns

Although it’s strictly a game of chance, there are certain strategies that can turn the odds in your favor at bingo.

You might not have control over the numbers drawn, but you can apply some useful methods while playing and improve your chances.

Tip 1. Find Bingo Rooms with Easy Patterns

If you ever get stuck with different bingo patterns, remember to go with easier combinations at first and slowly build your way up to the hardest ones. 

Easy patterns require fewer numbers to complete and could lead you to some truly amazing jackpots in time.

Finding the perfect bingo site with easy winning combinations can be a real drag sometimes. 

To give your beginner’s luck a boost, make sure to join only those rooms offering patterns like:

• Five in a row
• Blackout
• X letter
• Four corner

If you start with a kite or a witch hat, it might be difficult to win right away.

Tip 2. Avoid Rush Hours

The number of players is not always a requirement for the size of the jackpot. You can considerably improve your chances of winning any pattern in the morning, late afternoon, or at night, so avoid peak times such as weekends, lunchtimes, or evenings.

Tip 3. Pick the Right Bingo Cards

The more cards you have, the greater your probability of winning. However, if you get a card containing the numbers 21, 26, 65, and 74, you will have a shot at the Granville strategy with a roughly fair split of odd and even numbers. It also states that cards containing numbers 21, 31, 44, and 51 have less chances of winning.

Tip 4. Practice Regularly to Build Your Skills

The goal is to have fun playing bingo once you gain some experience with easy patterns. Learn the ropes and keep practicing to build some tactics and you’ll become an expert on 1L, 2L, and Full House in no time.

Tip 5. Socializing is Important

Interaction is key when playing online bingo. Not only is it fun, but it helps you learn various tips and tricks from other players which can positively affect the outcome of your game.

Expert’s Advice: Triumphant Bingo Patterns

There are many different bingo games on the internet. To get the best results with different patterns, you need to research and experiment until you find the one you like. 

The most common online bingo games are UK bingo (popularly called “Housie”) with 90 balls and American bingo with 75 balls. Speed bingo with 30 balls (each ticket contains a 3x3 grid) and online bingo that uses 80 balls are also quite lovely.

On Chipy, you will discover many free casino bingo games, offering countless examples of different patterns. Powered by Caleta Gaming, Salsa Technology, Belatra Games, MGA, and others, these popular titles may give you important insights into some of the patterns we mentioned above.

For instance, if you decide to play Bingo Billion Llama, you will see the typical letter and line patterns; Just a Bingo! comes with shapes and lines, while Vikings Bingo has a bit of lines, shapes, and letters, with a maximum payout potential of 10,000. 

There are many theories on the web stating that Clock, Windmill, Arrow, Wine Glass, and Witches Hat are the most frequent winning patterns. 

However, you should remember that bingo is an interactive game of chance, meaning that almost every player has their favorite, triumphant combination.

Final Thoughts

Now that you are familiar with common and hard bingo patterns, the best way to use your knowledge is to practice.

If you’re ready to go play some bingo, have fun online on our site from the comfort of your home, and pick the hottest bingo bonuses to make things truly memorable!

Find out where you can get free bingo tickets today and if you need a quick update on the rules or some prize-winning strategies, head to the Chipy Bingo Academy – it’s free and full of expert bingo advice.

Meanwhile, enjoy a game of bingo with friends in your favorite 75 and 90 ball rooms, and don’t be surprised when you hear… BINGO!