Bingo vs. Tambola; does not have to be a choice, both are fun

Because of the perceived social ills brought about by gambling, it is quite rare to find a game that involves betting but is also acceptable even to church groups and other socio-civic organizations. Bingo is one such lucky find that has managed to straddle the lines of not just acceptability but in fact also of popularity.

There are many possible reasons for this, not least of which is that it is simple, easy to understand and can be a pretty social event. As with most other popular games and activities, it has also witnessed the creation of its virtual counterpart, the online bingo.

The tambola may not be as well known in some parts of this world as bingo, but it has gained much acceptance in the UK. Some actually see it as another kind or variant of bingo.

What then is bingo vs. tambola? Those who see the two as variations of each other cannot be faulted as both are played with grid forms or cards, and involve numbered balls being drawn and called out. The winner is determined to be whoever first completes the required pattern on the grid card.

Outside of these basic similarities, bingo vs. tambola would primarily differ on number of balls being used for the draw, and the grid forms being utilized.

Bingo is played with 75 balls sequentially numbered. The bingo card features a 5x5 matrix, headlined by the letters B - I - N - G - O atop each column, which (if you know your math) evidently results in 25 slots. The centermost slot is a free or blank space. The 24 other squares is filled with random pre-printed numbers. Every time the host draws a ball and calls out its number, a player checks if he has that number in his card/s and then marks the square accordingly. Once he accomplishes the desired pattern, which could be a complete block-out or even a single line, he shouts out Bingo and wins the game.

Tambola is played with 90 balls and a 9x3 (column x row) grid, resulting in 27 squares. Five squares in each row would have pre-determined numbers while the four others remain blank, resulting in 15 numbers per card. The objective is usually to complete all five numbers in each row from the drawn balls, though another pattern may be used instead. Each game may then have three possible winners, i.e., the first to complete the first row, the first two rows, and a full house or the three rows, though this could also be just one player.

Bingo vs. tambola enthusiast, you are bound to have fun.