There used to be a widespread belief that online bingo was mainly an old person's game, but recent studies have blasted this myth. They say that about 90% of the nine million people who play online bingo every week fall below the age of 50.
Clearly, online bingo is not a game for the old. On the contrary, there seems to be evidence that online bingo is a favorite past time of people in their twenties. In the UK, for example, where online bingo is very popular, playing bingo on the Internet is the favorite leisure activity of women between the ages of 20 and 25.
Since bingo is so easy to play, it's no surprise why it's a favorite among people of all ages. Whether it's a land-based or online bingo game, the rules are the same. A dealer draws randomly-selected numbers (in online bingo, through a random number generator) and players match the drawn numbers to the cards they are holding, based on a previously specified pattern. The first player who completes the specified pattern is the winner. The winner then claims his/her prize and a new game begins.
In addition, players can use special features online to make playing easier. For instance, there's the auto-daub button which marks off the drawn numbers on your card automatically. Some online games also have "Best Card Sorting" or "Best Card Highlighting" features that can help a player sort his cards and highlight the ones that are close to winning. Smart online bingo operators installed these features to allow players to have more time to chat with others in the game.
The chat application is another special feature of an online gaming site. It adds an entirely new dimension to the bingo experience -- inter-action with other players. Through chat, players can meet and exchange their views during online games as opposed to land-based bingo where this is strictly prohibited.
There are two main types of online bingo games. There's American or Canadian bingo (25 numbers, five rows) or bingo as its played in the UK, Australia and New Zealand (27 numbers, three rows). Combined, both games account for revenues running into several billion dollars a year.
New online bingo players can join a game on two kinds of online sites. The first requires you to download free software before you can join. The other uses Java or Flash-based games and players can join immediately upon registration.
Also, players can choose between free bingo games or cash games. A lot of bingo sites provide free gambling chips upon registration, usually calculated as a percentage of a player’s sign-up fee or initial deposit. These free chips allow the player to experience the thrill of online bingo without the risk. At the same time, the player gets to familiarize himself with the site, the gameplay and the various functions and commands. If he’s lucky, he can even win some cash without investing a dime. Some sites provide free sandbox play, with no deposit required. Unfortunately, players can’t take home their winnings.
To qualify for the largest prizes, a player must have an account on the site. Players can fund their account through a variety of e-wallet options, such as Neteller, Citadel, Firepay and PrePaidATM. |
