All the eights 88! Hearing the bingo caller call your number is a great feeling, but getting that call when you are in a group with your besties is even better. The rise of online bingo has been swift, and it's not any wonder - with top sites like poshbingo offering more games than you can shake a stick at, land-based bingo can't compete. 

There are a couple of ways to play bingo virtual with your mates, though, so you never need to miss out on the atmosphere - because you can create your own! 

Here are the best ways to have a bingo night with your friends, but from the comfort of your own home. 

What makes bingo the perfect virtual game to play?

Bingo websites know that one of the most integral parts of enjoyable bingo games is the social aspect. It is recognizing the names in the room, congratulating people, and having a sense of community. After all, it is a community that helped to make bingo so popular in the first place when it started in community centers and churches. 

Even if you have friends that aren't avid bingo fans, the game is easy to follow and enjoyable to play - so all players can have a great time!

Zoom bingo

Although you can use any video call software, Zoom is nice and easy. Skype, Teams, and even FaceTime are ideal. 

The game organizer will need to ensure that everyone has printable bingo cards. It's easier to use a random bingo card generator online and send them to people. 

Alternatively, if you have a little more time, you can buy a bingo number book and post the right amount of tickets for each game you intend to play. Agree in advance if you will be playing 90 balls, 80 balls, 75, or other. 

Choose a day and time when everyone is available, and set up a meeting in your chosen software. Or, use email invites for the FaceTime call. 

Plan in a date when everyone is free and set it to your calendar, this can also be done through your chosen video call software.

While it's a bit long-winded, using a random number generated online to pick the bingo balls is great. If playing bingo this way is going to become part of a monthly thing, it can be fun to buy a bingo number ball and the bingo balls. You'll need to transport it to other people's houses, though, so everyone can take a turn in being the caller. 

You can decide if you want to play for real cash, and everyone can contribute a set amount to the caller's PayPal account. Use friends and family when you send the money so that there are no fees. 

Allocate a percentage to each line, two lines, and house. 

When someone yells BINGO, get them to hold up the card to the screen so it can be verified, and then write down how much they need to be sent at the end of the session. 

These kinds of bingo sessions can last for hours because you'll be chatting away as well as calling the numbers! 

Online bingo meet-up

One of the best things about choosing these options is that no one is responsible for the organization. Instead, you can skip the steps of organizing the bingo books, the stampers, numbers, and the online call appointment. 

Although there should still be someone helping to ensure everyone knows where they need to be and when. 

One of the most important things you'll need to do as the organizer is to choose the website that people should sign up for to play together. 

Look for bingo websites that offer plenty of different games, have good promotions and bonuses, and chat rooms alongside their games. 

Try to get an indication of how much people want to spend on the bingo game; often, £10 can be turned into £30- or more through bonuses. Look through 4-5 different websites and see if there are any games that are nicely priced, specials, or anything fun coming up, and try to plan it for them. 

Research through different bingo providers until you find the most suitable for you and your party – remember to look at their promotions!

Give everyone the link to sign-up to the right website, and then check everyone has their accounts ready. 

Start a group or video call to help everyone navigate their way to the right place to play your virtual game.

Just ahead of all joining the same games, see if there is a practice room for first-time players. Even if you have all played before, it can help to get familiar with the instructions coming through the call. 

Have a list of rooms ready and a rough guide of where they are so people can get to them. For example, if you want to play a musically themed bingo game, and it's in the header of 75 ball - help people get there. 

Once you are all in the same bingo room, it can be beneficial to mute the voice call and swap to the in-room chat. Swapping to mute will prevent any echoes of the numbers being called from coming through at the same time. Since the social element can be carried straight over into the chat room, there is no need to worry that you'll miss out on the chat. 

Bingo has been popular for hundreds of years, and while it has many new themes and the ability to play online - the heart of bingo has remained the same and even to this day the social aspect of the game lives on.