7 Ideas to Throw an Amazing and Lively Virtual Team-building Bingo Party

1 What is a Virtual Team-building Bingo?

Virtual team-building bingo is a fun and easy way to engage your team members in a friendly competition. So what is bingo, and how should you play it?

Virtual bingos are somewhat similar to real bingo but with some variations. The rules remain the same as regular bingo. But, while balls are used in traditional bingo games, online bingo games are played using a random number generator.

In virtual bingo, each player matches numbers printed in different arrangements on cards with the numbers called by the host. If a particular player finds the called numbers are arranged on their card in a row, they call out "Bingo!". It is used to alert all participants to a winning card. The first to have a winning arrangement receives the prize or jackpot. There are a couple of offbeat virtual bingo ideas as well, that you will find in this list. 

1.1 How does virtual team bingo help develop team engagement and bonding?

Team-building activities are an effective way to ensure good working relations between team members. Before the pandemic, this could be accomplished with retreats, fun meets, and parties. But now, as employees are stuck in their homes, there is little chance of achieving that.

This is where games like ​virtual team-building bingo prove to be useful for organizations.​ It is a virtual activity that can be enjoyed as breaks during remote work. Bingo brings out the competitive side to your team, and it's always fun to see them fully engaged and using their wits in a fun setting. In addition to team engagement, virtual bingo also keeps your mind active, boosts your physical health, etc.

Read more: 30 And Above Virtual Holiday Party Ideas That Your Remote Teams Will Love

2 How to host a fun Virtual Team-building Bingo?

Here is a detailed description of the ways to throw a fun and lively virtual team-building bingo party:

2.1 Set a bingo meetup

This goes without saying. Like every other party, you'll have to develop a plan for your remote bingo team building party as well. And the first and foremost thing on that plan has to be setting the date and time for the occasion.

For that, you can use apps like Calendly and have everyone block a time that works. Or alternately, you may post in a group chat and collect responses as to what works for everyone. It would be better if the party is set on a Friday evening because everyone’s in a good mood.

2.2 Share invites to teammates

Once you’ve set the time and date for the remote bingo team building party, you can send the invites to the people via a common chat and email meeting link. 

Just make sure to send the invites in advance to avoid any last-minute cancellations from the members.

2.3 Share bingo boards with members

On the day of the party, after everyone has joined the meeting, you can share the bingo boards/templates with them. You can create those templates from bingo websites or even make your own boards. Following that, you may share the links on the chats so that everyone can play.

But before sending the virtual bingo team building game boards to them, you must ensure that the actions mentioned are unique to working from home problems. In other words, avoid situations that are too common and simple, such as “ know how to drive a car” or “ misplaced my keys.”

2.4 Use different bingo boards/templates

This is simple. A single bingo board can be finished in like 5-10 minutes if there are many coworkers. So to keep the remote bingo team building party going, you’ll have to create different bingo boards. Besides, you will have to ensure that none of the situations get repeated on the various boards.

There is a free bingo card generator through which you can create customized bingo boards. You may also download free templates from that site.

You may even ask members to create their own boards and share them during the party.

2.5 Organize a theme for the party

This is not a necessity for throwing a bingo party but having a theme can be more engaging. You can organize it for a special occasion by date. For example, Halloween, if it's in October, or Christmas in December. The virtual team-building bingo templates can include questions that capture the essence of the festival or occasion.

2.6 Arrange food and beverages

You may deliver snacks or small meals to the members if there is a budget for the party. For example, you may ask all the participants and choose a restaurant and the menu. Following that, you can get the food delivered to them. But it will be only possible if all the members are in the same town. Or else, you may ask them to bring their own snacks.

You can also make the bingo funnier with food. For instance, whoever loses a round or tries to cheat should drink a shot (if you need drinkspiration, check out a few suggestions we’ve compiled for a virtual happy hour cocktail kit!)

2.7 Raise the competition with rewards

Lastly, arrange for your virtual prize distribution. The gifts can be preselected, such as redeemable vouchers to stores or restaurants, or a gift bag of goodies. This initiative encourages people to participate more wholly in future such contests. After all, everyone likes playing to win! You may even provide them with coffee mugs or t-shirts or anything as such.

3 What are Virtual Bingo websites?

There are various virtual team-building bingo websites. Here is a list of all the popular bingo sites:

3.1 Tombola Bingo

Tombola Bingo has a unique look and feels that you won’t find anywhere else. I like the pastel-colored theme because it’s easy on the eye and has a calming effect. As far as virtual bingo ideas go, it is one of the most charming ones. The website allows more than 15,000 players online. If you want to play on your mobile, you can even download the app from the store.

There are various exclusive bingo games at Tombola with their unique twists. Some of these games are:

• Bingo 75 Shapes: We played this game last winter. The host determined a shape before the game started. And we tried to find the numbers with that shape. At last, a team member marked off all the numbers with that shape and won the game.

• Cinco: This game uses playing cards instead of numbers. If your hand is called within 7 cards, then you could win a jackpot.

All you need to do is go to the website, sign up and select the game you want to play with your teams.

3.2 Gala Bingo

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the fun virtual bingo ideas you can play at Gala Bingo:

• Bingo Beats:  In this game, you will get 1 ticket, but you get to choose how much you pay for your ticket. The more you pay the more you win!
• Deal Or No Deal Bingo: This game is based on the hit TV show. It has various prizes based on the row completion rate such as  1 row, 2 rows, 3 rows, etc.
• Rush Bingo: This speed bingo game is bingo only faster for those who like things in the fast lane.
• Coconut Island: In this game,  exclusive coconuts fall and reveal the next call. Based on that, players can make the move.
• Housey Bingo: In this game, the numbers are represented in the form of cards. Everyone will have 5 cards from the deck. The first to match the cards called wins.

3.3 Sun Bingo

Sun Bingo offers a selection of 90, 80, 75, 50, and 36 ball virtual team-building bingo games. In addition, it also provides exclusives and even free bingo rooms called the learner’s rooms. You can book a session of games all at once or pre-book games for later.

In the lobby, you can navigate and see all the upcoming games, players, prizes, and jackpots on offer.

Here are some of the games you may play at Sun Bingo:

• Candy Room: This is an exclusive 90 ball bingo game. It offers a jackpot if the full house is called in 38 numbers or less.
• Mystic Meg Bingo: In this game, everyone can only buy one ticket each. The winning amount depends on the money you pay for the ticket.
• Cabaret Room: In this room, 90 ballroom players are limited to buying 12 tickets per game.
• Winning Headlines Bingo: This is a 36-ball bingo game where you can win a jackpot if your card is called in 16 calls or less.
• Pick n’ Mix:  This is a 75 ball pattern bingo game. You have to match the pattern to win the game. One person can have 72 tickets and there are multiple jackpots to be won.

3.4 Buzz Bingo

Buzz Bingo is one of the cheapest virtual team-building bingo websites out there. The tickets start at just a penny. But we are sure that the games will definitely mesmerize you. Here are a bunch of fun and exclusive bingo games:

• The Voice Bingo: It’s your luck that runs this exclusive-to-Buzz-Bingo game. When you call Full House on any of the lucky chair numbers, you will win a bonus prize.
• Buzz Blast: You get 1 ticket and 36 numbers but you decide how much you want to pay. The more you pay the more you can win.

3.5 Arkadium

Arkadium offers more ways to win beyond simple rows, columns, and diagonals. You can also win with any two, three, or four rows, or with the entire card filled out. All these options increase your winning payout.

You may play one, two, three, or four cards simultaneously, and you can bet on each played card with in-game money to keep things exciting. You win your bet and the money is yours for the taking!

3.6 Bingo Blitz

Bingo Blitz provides an immersive gaming environment that makes playing bingo fun. The site has fun themes such as traveling from city to city to complete quests, as well as creative graphics, tons of power-ups, and items to collect. You can play against other players, either with a single card or multiple cards.

4. How to Play Virtual Bingo with Coworkers

Here is how you can play virtual bingo with coworkers 

• Start out by distributing virtual bingo cards to all the remote workers. You can mail them in and ask them to print the card or you can send in your own. 
• The next step of virtual bingo team building is to decide on a timeline. You can either do it all once on a single video conferencing call or space it out. 
• The virtual bingo teambuilding game is simple enough,  players get a point every time they get to know information from a co-worker that is mentioned on the board. 
• Have people make an 'X" every time they get a point. 
• And that's it! give out prizes every time someone completes an entire row or the entire board. 
• Pro Tip: Design your own virtual bingo team-building game board. Make it specific to your team and just see the amount of fun you have.

5 FAQs

5.1 What are the tips to play virtual bingo with coworkers?

Here are some fun tips and virtual bingo ideas to boost the experience:

• Create your own Bingo board or go to online bingo websites and send links to coworkers.
• With a customized game, you can add inside jokes, references to specific team members, and similar.
• Award prizes to the best performers to notch up the competition.

5.2 How do you make virtual bingo more engaging and lively?

To make the virtual team-building bingo more engaging and lively, here are some virtual bingo ideas you can check out:

• Play different styles of bingo games.
• Alter your bingo cards.
• Organize a themed party around the bingo game.
• Try out a fun new game of Picture Bingo.

5.3 What are the rules for playing remote bingo?

Here are the rules for playing virtual bingo:

• Share the virtual team-building bingo board with the teammates.
• A player gets a point when they mark “x” on a certain box. The center square is a free point for all players.
• The first to complete marking an entire row wins.

5.4 How can I make virtual bingo more fun?

To make the virtual team-building bingo more fun, you can:

• Double the prizes at the bingo games.
• Organize virtual bingos on holidays.
• Have participants swap places in the middle of games.
• Make your own rules for playing.
• Add music, pictures, or trivia in the games instead of just numbers.

5.5 Can you play virtual bingo on Microsoft Teams?

Yes, you can play virtual team-building bingo on Microsoft Teams or any other virtual platform for that matter. You may create a group on MS Teams such as “Bingo Meetup” and share that link with the team members. On the day of the event, you can share bingo boards or online bingo website links in the group chat and have an amazing virtual team bingo night.