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Jackpots and pre-buy cards are really two separate subjects, but I have combined them into one article here because they are often related, with you being able to pre-buy bingo cards for jackpots games! You might also want to read the related article on progressive jackpots in bingo. Read more below about bingo jackpots and pre-buying cards (also called pre-purchase).
Fixed prize games
Before getting on to the main topics of this article a mention should be made of what I have termed 'fixed prize games'. Again this is because this format of bingo game is associated with both being able to pre-buy cards for it, and also they often have jackpots. Normally the prizes for bingo games are a proportion of the money wagered by all the participants. It therefore varies depending on how many people are playing. But with a fixed prize game the actual prize amount is set in advance - e.g. in a 90 ball bingo game it might be £250 for one line, £500 for two lines and £1000 for a full house ('coverall'). Obviously the actual prizes in real games vary a lot, giving a lot of choice.
This could lead to a problem for the bingo room, because if not many people played this game the bingo room would lose a lot of money on it! Especially if the tickets are quite cheap - and they often are to make it an exciting game, who wouldn't want to (for instance) have a chance of winning hundreds of pounds for only 10p a ticket. So the game is often scheduled for a regular time once a week, and advertised in advance so people know when it runs - and hopefully like the chance of the big guaranteed prize. This leads to a slight further problem of people who want to play these special games but won't be able to log on at the time they run. This problem is solved by allowing the players to buy the tickets in advance to be automatically played for them - this is discussed below under 'Pre-buy or pre-purchase cards'.
Jackpot games
These special games very often have a jackpot prize associated with them. Although this isn't a progressive jackpot as the prize is fixed (rather than increasing if not won) the jackpot is won with the same trigger - reaching the full house or coverall (it is often a coverall rather than a pattern) in fewer than a certain number of balls. The jackpot prize is often significantly more than the usual full house prize - definitely worth winning.
Pre-buy or pre-purchase cards
This is how the problem mentioned above - of players wanting to play the jackpot games but who won't be around when the game is run - is solved. They can buy their bingo cards in advance! This helps because they can play even if they won't be at their computer when the scheduled game time comes round. It also helps the room cover the cost of the increased prizes in these special games by allowing as many people to play as possible.
Of course if you aren't at the computer you can't join in with the chat and social side of bingo - which is important and a big part of what sets bingo apart from other gambling games. But there are always lots of people to chat to as not everyone buys in advance and then doesn't watch the game. Also with the scheduled time for these special games you can often meet the same friends, fellow fans of the game in question, and have a natter whilst waiting to see if someone you know (maybe even you!) gets that elusive but lucrative jackpot.
Further articles on playing bingo
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Playing Bingo