The rise of the bingo empire!

We all know about bingo, it is the game where a caller shouts out ‘funny’ phrases for numbers and you check them off. Bingo has been loved and played by many for over 100 years now. It’s no surprise that the game is one of the UK’s most popular pastimes. The bingo world is forever developing and the new trend is online bingo, with many of the big names in bingo introducing their own online bingo rooms.

Our question is, why is online growing bigger, and which is better bingo halls or online? All we know is the fall in people visiting bingo halls started to occur when the smoking ban in buildings was introduced. Before this, people would smoke while playing and then in-between games would play on the slots, but now they don’t play on the slots because they need to go outside for a cigarette break.

Traditional Bingo Halls

The traditional bingo hall is a place most people know as a destination of fun and competitive spirit. They appeared long before the online version, and seem rather outdated compared to their modern counterpart.

Like most things, the traditional way of playing bingo has many advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include:

More Entertainment: These halls offer more than just bingo. There’s a great range of things to do, from meeting up and having a laugh with your mates, to playing on the slot machines. It’s much more than just sitting in silence and listening to numbers being called out – it’s an enjoyable hobby!

More engagement:
With playing online, it’s all done behind a screen, and you don’t get the contact you do in these halls. You can meet new faces or even meet up with old friends. The competitive spirit adds to the fun and leads to a good night all-round.

More atmosphere:
You can’t beat the exciting atmosphere that comes with playing something live, this is true with bingo. You only get this atmosphere from the halls and this cannot be recreated from a screen. The excitement and tension of the room is what makes it a game great, keeping everyone on their toes.

Keeps the brain alert:
The game keeps you concentrating, as when you miss a number, you could have just lost your chance and winning the prize. It helps keep the brain young and active, rather than getting square eyes from a screen.

Like most things, there are also the disadvantages which may be a big deal for some people.

Slower: Playing the game live in a hall can be a long night. It definitely takes longer for a game to be played than it would if you just played online. But, to some people, this may be an advantage as it keeps you busy for longer.

Callers are less reliable: It’s pretty easy for the caller to get distracted by something else and this could lead to a longer game, or wrong numbers being called. No-one wants to miss out on their chance to win.

More expensive: You could be spending more than £20 in one night at a bingo hall, which is a lot for most people. Online bingo is definitely cheaper.

There are no definite prizes: Because prizes depend on how much the hall has taken in that night, the prizes are different every time. Bingo halls online are generally more rigid, paying out similar amounts time after time.

Everything is moving to a screen nowadays, whether it be TV or gambling. Bingo is another one that has become hugely popular online. Just like the traditional bingo hall, however there, are many advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of playing online bingo include:

Money saving: With tickets available from as low as one pence, you definitely save money playing online.

Social: With online games you have chat rooms within the game, so you can talk to others playing. This beats the silence of the bingo hall.

Better prizes: The prizes in bingo rooms don’t depend on how many people are in, it’s all about the game you are playing and a fixed prize offered.

Faster: Although this may be bad for some people, the online game is a lot faster so can be played in a lunch break or while you are looking after your kids. It is definitely a lot more convenient.

Overall, three million people in the UK are now playing bingo online instead of at the halls, but is this a good thing or not? The percentage of younger people playing bingo is rising dramatically.

Summary

Overall, no matter where you play bingo, we think it will always be one of England’s favourite ways to gamble. The online bingo is definitely convenient for us all to play as we don’t have as much time for relaxing any more. Still, going to a bingo hall can be a fun night out and be a lot more social.

We predict bingo will keep rising in popularity, so why not join in? Head on over to our bingo tab and have a dabble for yourself!