Why is Bingo so Popular?

The United Kingdom has enjoyed a long and happy love affair through the decades. In fact, the country’s appreciation of bingo runs further than when the game was formally legalised in the nation's Gambling Act of 1960. Throughout the generations, people of all ages have enjoyed sitting among family and friends with their eyes down, ready and waiting for the winning numbers to be called.

Prior to the Gambling Act, communities up and down the country would get together and play bingo at fundraiser events specifically for charities. But since its legalisation and the creation of physical bingo halls and online bingo communities like our very own Wink Bingo, the fascination has become more personal, with the chance to win life-changing sums of money with the blot of a dabber.

Of course, when you drill down even further you realise that the challenge and thrill of winning money if another driving motivator for bingo fans. Playing bingo games can be a relaxing pastime, but once you start to have your numbers called the anticipation of winning at bingo can give you such an adrenaline rush. As bingo players, we can all relate to that feeling of excitement needing just one number to win a line or a house. It’s a roller-coaster ride of emotions, providing a fantastic escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life.

The social benefits of bingo communities

Some sociologists have suggested that bingo is a way of staving off loneliness and boredom. Through the years, bingo halls have become the hub of local communities, allowing residents to meet and socialise with like-minded people. In more recent years, as bingo halls have closed their doors for financial reasons, it’s been vitally important for the online bingo industry to work to provide a similar "bingo with friends" experience that fosters sociability.

At Wink Bingo, we place huge emphasis on the social experience of our bingo games. All our bingo rooms have real-time chat functionality, allowing you to chat with your fellow players before, during and after the games. Unlike in a conventional bingo hall, when talking is discouraged during games, our chat rooms want people to chat and get excited mid-game. We give our community all the tools they need to send messages and emoticons to their fellow players and players can send private messages to others too. Imagine the real atmosphere of a bingo hall on your computer or mobile – that’s the Wink Bingo experience!

We also employ chat hosts to moderate all our online bingo rooms. Think of these hosts as the Master of Ceremonies. They will make players aware of who’s won the latest games and whether there are any special offers on the horizon. As a moderator, they will ensure that all chat is clean, friendly and fair at all times. Those players that cannot behave and abide by the rules will be removed immediately. The chat hosts are also a godsend for our newest and least experienced bingo players. They can quickly answer questions and provide immediate support.

Even after the bingo action has finished, our chat rooms remain a hive of activity thanks to the addition of bingo chat games. Our chat hosts manage a variety of chat games, giving individuals a chance to win big prizes. Players may also be encouraged to form teams within the chat room to try and win group prizes too. Whether it’s trivia games that test your general knowledge, or speculative games like First Ball Out that require you to guess the first and last balls called out in the next game, all these games are designed with engagement and interaction firmly in mind.

Does the appeal of bingo differ to other casino games?

Is the draw of bingo more about the whole package as opposed to the thrill and anticipation of winning? We believe so at Wink Bingo. On the face of it, bingo is a relatively straightforward game that’s decided by a decentralised random number generator (RNG). As it is an entirely fair and random game, bingo players can’t immerse themselves in strategies and techniques like other casino games. They have two choices: buy more tickets to increase their chances of winning or kick back, relax and enjoy the game come what may.

In that sense, bingo is in a league of its own compared with other casino games like blackjack and roulette. These games are designed to operate with a house edge, which players attempt to mitigate by implementing certain betting strategies along the way. The thrill for blackjack and roulette players is focused squarely on beating the house. At the other end of the spectrum, bingo players must accept that winning is down to pure luck, which is all part of the intrigue of our wonderful game.