Candy Bingo
If you tend to stick to slots, table games, and other traditional casino fare, you might not realize just how big online bingo is today. Not only are there tons of sites that specialize in this form of gambling, but many Internet casinos also offer casual games that use the card-filling, ball-drawing action as a way to award instant prizes to players.
Candy Bingo is a game that fits into that latter category. A creation of Patagonia Entertainment, this is a colorfully-themed variant that offers most of the same action you’d expect to see in a game of this type. But there are a couple of surprises on tap that are designed to spice things up a bit, including an option to purchase additional balls that offers a rare chance for players to make important decisions during gameplay.
Winning Has Never Been So Sweet
In Candy Bingo, players are provided with four small cards, each of which features 15 numbers ranging from 1-90. The numbers are arranged in three rows and five columns, with the number layout being similar to that in American cards: smaller numbers to the left, rising to the highest numbers being in the rightmost column.
At the start of each game, you can choose just how much you’d like to bet. Keep in mind that this will always be a multiple of four credits, as you must make the same exact bet on each of your cards. In the version we tested, each “credit” cost $0.25, so playing for one credit per card – or four credits total – would cost $1. You’ll be paying for your cards up front, rather than placing bets down; that means these payments are gone forever, and won’t be returned as a part of your winnings should you earn a prize.
Once you’re ready to start the action, you can hit the play button. That will send a series of candy-themed numbers dropping from the shoot at the top of the screen, down into a holding area below. In total, 34 numbers will be released during this portion of the game.
As in any bingo game, the goal here is to make lines and patters on your card. Making one, two, or three lines (also known as a full house) will lead to progressively larger prizes. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect to win for each pattern:
- One Line: 3x
- Two Lines: 50x
- Full House: 2,000x
While you’ll only earn the top prize on each ticket, you can win on multiple cards, and all of those prizes will be added together. There is also a pattern that will allow you to enter a bonus round, as well as a shot to win a jackpot in some circumstances; we’ll cover these special features in the section below.
It will often be the case that you’ll see the first 34 balls come into play and end up with a few close calls – lines or patterns that are almost but not quite complete. While that can be frustrating, this game does give you the opportunity to purchase extra numbers that might just get you a last minute reward. At the end of the opening period, you’ll have the option of purchasing an extra ball. The price of this extra number will depend on how much you have wagered and the current game situation, but always costs a minimum of one credit.
It is possible to buy up to 10 additional balls through this process. After each ball, you can choose to buy one more, or hit the “NO” button to end the round immediately. Once you’ve decided to stop, all of your winnings will be paid out.
Once you’ve finished a round, you’ll have the opportunity to chance up your bets before the next game. You can also hit the “new tickets” button if you’d like to change the numbers on your cards.
Bonuses and Jackpots
There are two special features that will earn you the opportunity to win even more money on every round of Candy Bingo you play. First, there is the bonus pattern. This requires you to fill the entire outer ring of the card: 12 spots in total, including the entire top and bottom rows, along with the left and right spots on the middle row. If you complete this pattern, a pop-up will appear and offer you three spins on a wheel that contains an assortment of delicious sweets – each of which will earn you an instant prize of credits. On each spin, you’ll get anywhere between 10x and 500x your bet size, making this one of the quickest ways to build up some sizeable earnings.
There’s also the potential to win a special jackpot prize. However, this is only available as an option if you play for at least three credits per card. In addition, you’ll not only need to fill an entire ticket (all 15 spots), but you’ll need to do so before the 34th ball. If you have to purchase any additional numbers in order to fill a card, you won’t win this special prize.
Strategy: Just One More Piece?
Like other bingo-based games, Candy Bingo is mostly based on luck. After all, you can’t do anything about what numbers will be picked at random, so you’re at the mercy of the balls when it comes to whether or not your patterns will be completed.
But there is one place in which players have a chance to think about making the right play: whether or not to pay for an extra ball. It’s an attractive prospect, especially when you’re looking to complete one of the larger prizes. Is this offer a good deal?
In most cases, we believe that the answer is no. This isn’t all that surprising: after all, gambling companies rarely offer you opportunities that are to your advantage. The game dynamically calculates how much the extra ball will cost you, and that number does seem to always be significantly higher than the fair odds suggest. Sometimes the idea of a very cheap ball (perhaps even only a single credit when you are playing for 120 per round) when you are two away from a prize might seem tempting, but don’t be fooled: if you ever do get within one of a prize, the cost will go up accordingly. It’s worth taking a look at the number if you’re one away from a full house, but keep in mind that you’re unlikely to get the ball you need: if you need a specific spot to hit, your odds of making it with the first extra purchase are just 1 in 56, for instance.
A Tasty Twist on Bingo Action
If you’re a fan of these types of specialty casino games, then we think that Candy Bingo will likely appeal to you. It provides enough of a different look when compared to other offerings to make things fun for a while, especially when you’re playing for the jackpot. The ability to purchase extra balls is also an interesting idea, even if it usually isn’t in the player’s best interest.
Like any kind of sweets, we thing that moderation is the key here: you’re not likely going to want to play this game for hours on end. But as an occasional treat, Candy Bingo should satisfy your cravings while also giving you the chance – with a little luck – to win big each time you play.
