The Differences Between Bingo and Pokeno
The similarities between Bingo and Keno are plain to see; they are both games played with numbers, they both involve matching the player’s numbers with the numbers drawn at random, and they are both simple games that don’t take much brain power to enjoy. Just the sort of thing we like to see.
They are not the same game though, and one is not a variation of the other.
What is Pokeno?
Pokeno is a combination of poker and bingo, played like bingo. Instead of playing with a standard bingo card everyone uses a Pokeno card, which has card names and suits on it. As card names are called out, players cover the cards with their poker chips until one of them wins the game. There are other variations of the game that can make it more interesting to play. An electronic version of Pokeno is available to play at an online casino.
What is Bingo?
Bingo is a simple but enjoyable game that is played with bingo cards, counters, and prompts. It works well as a group activity, with everyone using their own card. It’s a popular game among teachers and can be used as a revision activity or just for fun.
The game is played by players listening to prompts given by a teacher (or caller) and covering squares on their bingo cards with counters when they match the prompt. When a player has a row completely covered in counters, they call out ‘BINGO’ to win the game.
The Differences Between Bingo and Pokeno
With a game of Pokeno, you decide whether you are playing standard Pokeno, where a player wins with is five cards in a row either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, or if you are going to play a variation like four corners or full card. You then hand out Pokeno game boards to everyone who wants to play the game. Give each of the players 20 poker chips.
Similarly, bingo is a very easy game. In a nutshell, all you must do is listen to the person calling the numbers out and scratch or mark them off your card if you hear yours. Easy, right? That’s the quick version of how to play bingo anyway. But there are several different types of bingo that can affect some of the factors. So, it’s always a good idea to get a deeper look into bingo rules and how to play the different variations of the game.
Here is a list of the main differences, as well as a few other minor differences between playing Pokeno vs playing Bingo:
- Player can pick their own numbers
- Player doesn’t have to pick set amount of numbers
- Player can change their stake
- Player can use the same numbers over and over
- Pokeno is less of a social game
- Player can control pay out potential by raising stake
- Pokeno games are much quicker
In short, Pokeno gives the player more control and more options than bingo, but bingo gives players more value for money because the games last longer and have the chat rooms and side games.
A game of Pokeno can be done and dusted in under a minute, whereas a game of 90 ball bingo can take several minutes as the cards get daubed and each prize is won. Bingo tickets can also be much cheaper, so is a better option for people with less spare cash, whereas you can win bigger prizes playing Pokeno.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash