Most of us have played a game of bingo at some time or other in our lives. It might not have been called bingo – but it will have been a variation of it like lotto or even the version that’s called “house”. In fact, people have been playing the game for almost a century now, ever since it was popularized by a visionary salesman and marketeer called Edwin Lowe. He first came across the game, known as Beano in those days, while visiting county fairs throughout the mid-west in the Depression-era of the 1930s.
Undoubtedly, the game’s been through some peaks and troughs since then, falling in and out of favor. But it’s very much in the ascendant now thanks to its online renaissance. Internet bingo is undoubtedly big business thanks to operators’ dedication to keeping things fresh and introducing variations as you’ll find at https://bingo.paddypower.com/p/slingo-games. These combine traditional bingo with that other perennial online favorite – slots games. So the numbers appear on spinning reels and players can cross off any that appear on their virtual cards.
Not only does this present the numbers in a far more exciting and involving way, but it also means that other elements like wilds, which can stand in for any number, and bonuses can also suddenly appear. This adds a whole new dimension to the game, along with the fact that it can be themed with popular slots titles like Starburst as well as TV shows like Deal or No Deal.
Slingo is just one of the ways that online bingo is pitching itself to the modern audience. There are many other variations on the game designed to be played quickly and conveniently. And, with reports from sources like https://cnbc.com/2019/01/24/smartphones that the vast majority of people will soon only use their smartphones to access the internet, the online bingo operators are ready. So all games are optimized for play on mobile devices, ideal for when players just want to dip in and out of a game quickly.
It’s not just online that bingo is adapting to the 21st century either. There has also been a real resurgence of interest in playing the “live” game too. That said, it’s not in the traditional bingo halls of old but rather in the form of club nights where it’s just part of a whole lot of different elements including dance-offs, DJ sets, and the awarding of wacky prizes. These events have been the brainchild of the UK as reviewed here https://manchestersfinest.com/reviews, and have also introduced a whole new generation of players to a game that they may previously associated with their grandmas.
Looking to the future, some people are predicting that virtual reality is going to be the next big step-change for bingo. This will capture much of the game’s famous sociability by letting friends meet up, in the form of avatars, to enjoy a night at the bingo. When this will arrive, no one is 100% certain. But one thing is for sure – bingo’s come a long, long way from those county fairs of the 30s!