Coverall odds: how many balls does a blackout take?
A coverall, or blackout, needs all 24 numbers on a card covered. On one card a blackout takes about 73 of 75 balls on average, so jackpots tied to 50 balls or fewer are very hard to win.
Reviewed Oct 15, 2026
Answer first
90s- 01Coverall means all 24 numbers covered.
- 02One card needs about 73 balls on average.
- 03Ball-limit jackpots are long shots.
Key numbers
Coverall at a glance
In short
Key takeaways
- Each ball you add raises the odds sharply.
- More cards help in a straight line.
- Jackpot ball limits are set to be rare.
- The first coverall in the room wins.
Progress
How a coverall game runs
- 1
Start
Free space is covered
- 2
Balls called
Dab each match
- 3
24 covered
Call bingo
- 4
Check
Caller verifies
- 5
Prize
Jackpot if under limit
Halls often pay a smaller consolation prize when the ball limit is passed.
Chance of a coverall on one card
| Balls called | Chance | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | 0.000015% | 6,831,000 |
| 50 | 0.00047% | 212,085 |
| 55 | 0.0097% | 10,360 |
| 60 | 0.14% | 715 |
| 65 | 1.5% | 65 |
| 70 | 13.6% | 7 |
Our own sums: C(51,n−24) ÷ C(75,n), rounded.
Why coverall takes so long
A card has 24 numbers out of 75. To cover all of them, every one of those 24 numbers must be drawn, so the last one is often called late in the game.
The math uses combinations. The chance that a given set of n balls includes all 24 card numbers equals the ways to choose the other balls from the remaining 51 numbers, divided by all ways to choose n balls from 75.
That makes the chance climb steeply. Going from 50 balls to 55 makes a coverall about 20 times more likely, and from 55 to 60 another 14 times.
Chance by number of cards (50 balls)
| Cards played | Chance | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.00047% | 212,000 |
| 6 | 0.0028% | 35,300 |
| 12 | 0.0057% | 17,700 |
| 24 | 0.011% | 8,800 |
| 36 | 0.017% | 5,900 |
Approximate; treats cards as independent.
Ball-limit jackpots
Many halls offer a big jackpot only if a coverall happens within a set number of balls, such as 48, 50 or 52. If no one wins in time, play continues for a smaller prize.
Halls choose limits so jackpots rarely hit. Some raise the limit by one ball each week the jackpot is not won, which slowly makes it easier to win.
In a room with 200 players each playing 12 cards, that is 2,400 cards. At 50 balls, the chance someone wins is still only about 1.1%.
Sequence
Playing a coverall game
Step 01
Check the limit
Balls for the jackpot.
Step 02
Pick card count
More cards, more cost.
Step 03
Use daubers
Electronic helps with many cards.
Step 04
Track the free space
Already covered.
Step 05
Call clearly
Late calls can lose.
More cards and costs
Playing more cards raises your chance in a nearly straight line. Twelve cards give about 12 times the chance of one card, but they also cost 12 times as much.
Your share of the room matters most. If you hold 2% of all cards in play, you have about a 2% chance of being the first to blackout, no matter the ball count.
Ties are split. If two players call bingo on the same ball, most halls share the prize evenly between them.
Floor rules
Coverall terms
Know before you sit
- Blackout
- Another name for coverall.
- Ball limit
- Balls allowed for a jackpot.
- Consolation
- Smaller prize after the limit.
- Free space
- Center square, pre-covered.
A worked example
A hall offers a $5,000 coverall jackpot within 50 balls. You play 12 cards, and the room holds 2,400 cards in total.
Your chance of a 50-ball coverall on any one card is about 1 in 212,000, so with 12 cards it is about 1 in 17,700 per session.
If no one blacks out in 50 balls, which happens in about 99% of sessions, play goes on for a consolation prize, often a few hundred dollars. Some halls then raise the ball limit by one for the next session.
Common mistakes
- Expecting quick blackouts
- One card averages about 73 balls.
- Overbuying cards
- Cost rises with chance.
- Ignoring the ball limit
- It sets the jackpot odds.
- Missing a call
- Late bingo may not count.
Keep reading
Related pages
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01Basics
What is a coverall in bingo?
A game where you must cover all 24 numbers on your card, plus the free space. It is also called a blackout.
How many balls does a coverall take?
On a single card it takes about 73 of the 75 balls on average. In a busy room someone usually finishes much sooner.
Why is the jackpot so hard to win?
Halls set the ball limit low, often near 50, where a single card wins only about once in 212,000 games.
02Odds
Do more cards help?
Yes, almost in a straight line. Twelve cards give about twelve times the chance of one card, at twelve times the cost.
How are coverall odds worked out?
By counting how many sets of called balls include all 24 card numbers and dividing by all possible sets.
What if two people win together?
Most halls split the prize evenly between all players who call bingo on the same ball.
03Rules
What happens after the ball limit?
Play continues and the first coverall wins a smaller consolation prize instead of the jackpot.
Do ball limits change?
Some halls add one ball to the limit each session the jackpot is not won, making it easier over time.
Where can I get help?
If gambling stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER for free, private help any time of day.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds — Bingo Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry)The gaming industry’s standard reference for casino-game math, by actuary Michael Shackleford. Not an official registry; our calculators compute these numbers independently. · accessed Oct 15, 2026Rules, odds and house edge
- National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER