The game of bingo is one of the simplest and oldest games that is still around today, yet it’s also one of the most popular. With roots in Italy as far back as the 1500’s, it’s difficult to understand why such an old game would be popular in today’s day and age when we have so many more advanced games.
However, bingo’s smart evolution has meant that it’s still one of the most popular games of today and is played by millions of people across the world. The boom of online bingo sites like 888 ladies bingo have helped to make this all possible and keep the long running bingo tradition going. Below, we’ll take a look at why exactly bingo is still so popular, alongside some of the greatest wins in bingo history.
Why do people enjoy playing bingo
Bingo is well-loved by many as it is a simple yet exciting game.
Bingo is a simple game. It usually consists of 75 balls, which are picked at random and called out by the bingo host for people to mark their number cards. The cards usually feature 5 columns with 5 squares each, in which each card contains its own unique numbers that players rush to cross off to get first a line, and then a full house.
With so many new and advanced gaming systems around these days, it can be difficult to understand why this game is so popular. As we’ve seen in recent years, there’s been an emerging trend where retro video games are coming back with huge popularity. The theory behind this is both nostalgia and simplicity.
Games like bingo are closely linked to people’s childhoods, which can bring back fond memories when they play these games as an adult. In addition, today’s games can be complex and time consuming which makes people crave the quickness and simplicity of traditional games like snakes and ladders, dominoes or bingo.
The evolution of bingo
What has also helped to keep bingo going into the 21st century is the incorporation of modern technology with traditional games. While it’s become a little unfashionable to attend the local bingo hall on a Friday night unless you’re over a certain age, the use of online technologies has meant that bingo has become far more accessible to a wider demographic of people.
Whether you’re male or female or young or old, online bingo has become a game that everyone can now easily access without fear of being stereotyped. What’s more, there’s no need to wait until Friday as online bingo can be played anywhere, whether that’s on the morning commute to work on the train, at 2am on the sofa when you can’t sleep, or on a beach in a remote Caribbean island on your vacation.
The perks of online bingo
Online bingo has a number of additional perks in addition to the obvious - being more accessible to all. Let’s take a look at what makes online bingo different to the traditional game.
Opportunities for socialising
While it’s true you can also socialise in a bingo hall, online bingo allows players to connect with people from different walks of life that they wouldn’t usually talk to. For those who are also isolated and not able to get out and socialise, online bingo chat rooms offer a community where people can chat about something they have in common.
Global accessibility
In some countries, games of chance are against the law. This means that there are people in the world who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access a simple game of bingo, yet online options from offshore providers mean they can safely access bingo games without fear of being reprimanded.
Larger prizes and bonuses
An increased amount of online players means there are more funds available to channel into larger cash prizes and bonuses. In fact, online bingo has created some of the biggest wins in casino history.
Advanced features
Online bingo means that developers can get creative with the software. Think themed games, bonus features, impressive graphics and sound effects and so much more. And if you incorporate the likes of VR technology, online bingo becomes a whole new immersive world of entertainment.
The biggest wins in bingo history
When people think of bingo, they think of winning an extra £10 or £20 here and there, however modern bingo has been known to award players a life changing amount of money.
One of the best known cases is a 44 year old female from Leighton Park, England, who managed to win a life changing £50,000 when she scored a full house at her weekly national bingo game at a local venue.
Other impressive bingo wins include 60 year old John Orchard who played at Butlers Bingo and won a staggering £5.9 million. Orchard was said to have quit his job, purchased a brand new Jaguar and planned a trip to visit his family in Canada.
Overall, while bingo is a game from the past, the most recent technologies have helped to keep the tradition of bingo alive and make it the popular game that it is today. While it may look a little different to the game played in Italy in the 1500’s, 21st century bingo seems here to stay for the long term.
