Why Is Online Bingo Better Than Bingo Halls?

Online bingo offers many additional features that make it seem a lot better than a bingo hall. Is one really better than the other though? But before we answer that question, what is bingo, in the first place, and what are the differences between the two?

What is Bingo?

Bingo is a game of probability wherein a caller randomly draws numbers and players mark those numbers on their cards. Whoever happens to be the first person to mark off all the numbers on his or her card is the winner. It has been an immensely popular game in the UK for several centuries.

Bingo has also been on the Internet for almost thirty years now. According to Wikipedia, the brick-and-mortar bingo in the UK has been declining rapidly in the last couple of decades, with the number of bingo halls dropping drastically. A lot of venues close down as they just can’t compete with the online operators. The main causes are assumed to be:

At the same time, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people playing the game online from their computers as well as their smartphones. In order to adapt to these modern trends, one big company after another has started offering to play bingo on their websites besides their physical venues, creating additional options in the process. On top of that, links to online casinos, poker and other gaming sites are offered by virtually all bingo halls these days. There is even such a thing as a charity bingo now.

Online Bingo Halls

The game and all its rules have not actually changed with its relocation to the Internet, except that it has become available online. There are some differences in the format options, however, that may be ascribed to the advances in computer technology. A random number generator is used instead of the balls, for example.

Another difference is related to the game’s communal function. One of the best attractions of playing the game in a physical venue has always been the opportunity to mingle and socialise with other people. In order to compensate for its loss on the Internet, bingo online sites have begun to offer players a chance to visit and participate in their chat rooms. At any time, you can try online bingo from the UK here without GamStop.

The Advantages of Online Bingo

We may now come to the main question of this article, namely, is online bingo better than a bingo hall? In a way, the answer rests with you as it largely depends on why you would like to play the game. The overall verdict seems to be that while playing it in a physical venue is definitely more social, online bingo allows one to benefit from the modern technological advances and offers a lot more options as well as larger prizes.

1. Technical Support

One of the most significant advantages of playing bingo online lies in the technological options that make the game a lot easier to play and that are not actually possible in a land-based setting.

The auto-daub function is the best example. In a bingo hall, players have to constantly move their eyes between their cards and the caller, which is extremely exhausting and frustrating. In online bingo, they no longer have to mark off the numbers manually as the auto-daub does it for them. Needless to say, it makes an important difference in speed as well as convenience as the software will respond a lot quicker than you ever would. But bingo software simplifies the game and makes it more convenient for you in some other ways too. Besides the auto-daub, it sorts and highlights the cards by its proximity to bingo.

Some sites also allow you to pre-purchase tickets, which means the game carries on even in your absence, and you don’t lose your winnings even when you have been away for some time. Plus, you don’t have to stick with one ticket anymore as most sites let you buy a few, some even as many as one hundred tickets, with the result that you never miss any games.

All in all, online bingo seems ideal for players who lead a very busy life as well as for those with a general attention deficit.

2. Bonuses and Promotions

It has become a normal practice for online gaming sites to offer welcome bonuses to newbies, and it is the case with online bingo too. It is possible to begin to play without purchasing a ticket, which works as a sort of demo session allowing a newbie to learn the game as well as to decide whether to continue with it or not, before investing money into it.

And the prizes offered by online bingo sites are much larger than those in brick-and-mortar venues. So large they are in fact that there is absolutely no chance for bingo halls to even begin to compete with them. Therefore, if money is your main objective, you may as well go straight online.

3. Remote Play and 24/7 Access

Finally, but not least of all, online bingo offers the same advantage as any online activity: namely, you can do it from your own location, be it your home or your office. You don’t have to be near the venue, nor wait for the place to open in order to be able to play it. In fact, if the game is on your laptop or smartphone, you can play it wherever you are – on the bus, in a bar or even on the beach.

Conclusion

The technological revolution of the twenty-first century has moved a lot of brick-and-mortar leisure activities to the Internet, and bingo is not an exception. The online gambling industry has mushroomed over the last two decades, with many new bingo sites appearing annually. Undoubtedly, online bingo is currently a lot more popular than its physical ancestor. However, it seems we are yet to see which one is going to win the combat at the end of the day.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes