Quick answer
The house bingo pattern is a simple house outline: a pointed roof (N1, I2 and G2), the full middle row as the eaves and ceiling, walls at B4 and O4, and the full bottom row as the floor. It covers 15 squares including the free space, so you need 14 numbers. One card has a 3.1% chance by call 60, and with 500 cards in play the first house usually comes around call 50.
Which squares make the house?
Draw a house like a child would, with a pointed roof:
- Roof peak: N1
- Roof slopes: I2, G2
- Eaves and ceiling: the whole middle row, B3 to O3, with the free space in the center
- Walls: B4, O4
- Floor: the whole bottom row, B5 to O5
15 squares, 14 numbers. The house is hollow, so I4, N4 and G4 stay empty: that’s the inside of the house.
House vs. full house
Don’t mix these up. Full house is the British name for a blackout, where every square on the card is covered. The house pattern is just a picture of a house. In US halls, a caller saying “house” means this shape; a “full house” or “coverall” means the whole card.
House odds by call
Exact single-card figures:
| Calls made | Chance one card has the house |
|---|---|
| 40 | under 0.01% |
| 50 | 0.17% |
| 60 | 3.1% |
| 70 | 34% |
Half of single cards finish by call 72. In a room, our simulation puts the first house at about call 58 with 50 cards and call 50 with 500 cards. A crazy house (allowed to lie on its side or upside down) brings the 500-card figure to about call 46.
The house in two pieces
The bottom half of the house, rows 3 to 5, is a box: the middle row, the walls at B4 and O4, and the floor. That box alone needs 11 numbers, since the free space sits on the middle row. The roof then adds only three: N1, I2 and G2. So if the box is done, you’re very close.
Tips for players
- Two full rows do most of the work. The middle row and bottom row are 9 of your 14 numbers.
- The roof is only three squares. N1, I2 and G2 finish it off.
- Leave the inside empty. Numbers at I4, N4 and G4 don’t help.
Tips for callers and hosts
The house is a natural theme pick for housewarming parties, real-estate office events, Habitat-style building fundraisers and family nights. At 14 numbers it’s a long game for a late-session prize.
Say “house pattern” rather than just “house” to avoid confusion with full house, especially if your crowd includes visitors who play UK-style 90-ball bingo.
Variations
- Crazy house: facing any direction.
- Pyramid: just the roof, filled in. See the pyramid.
Frequently asked questions
What squares make a house in bingo?
N1 for the peak, I2 and G2 for the roof slopes, the full middle row, B4 and O4 for the walls, and the full bottom row for the floor.
How many numbers do you need for the house pattern?
Fourteen. The house covers 15 squares, and the free space is on the middle row.
Is the house the same as a full house?
No. 'Full house' is the UK name for a blackout, covering the whole card. The house pattern is a picture of a house and covers 15 squares.
Keep reading
Pyramid Bingo Pattern: Rules, Odds & Tips
The pyramid bingo pattern is a 5-3-1 triangle on the bottom three rows, topped by the free space: 9 squares, 8 numbers. See the layout and exact odds.
Blackout Bingo Pattern: Rules, Odds & How Many Calls It Takes
Blackout bingo means covering all 24 numbers on your card. See the pattern, how many calls a blackout usually takes, and why it pays the biggest prizes.
Outside Edge Bingo Pattern (Picture Frame): Rules, Odds & Tips
Outside edge bingo, or picture frame, covers all 16 border squares of the card. See exact odds by call, how long it takes, and where it fits in a session.
Bingo Patterns
Every bingo pattern with a picture, rules and how many numbers you need.