Differences between online and land-based bingo

Bingo has been one of the UK’s favourite recreational activities ever since the end of World War II. Land-based bingo halls were constantly crowded, and this was one of the most popular social activities. Sure, theatres are nice, but for most local communities the bingo hall was a gathering place. At the peak of the game’s popularity, there were over 600 land-based bingo halls. People loved to gather at these venues and they also provided job opportunities for thousands of people. It is estimated that the bingo industry in the UK employed more than 25.000 people at the peak of the game’s popularity.

However, in the late 90s the popularity rates of bingo halls began to drop. Because of it, around 200 bingo halls were forced to close. This downturn was not a sign that bingo lost its charm, but rather experienced a transition to other, more convenient platforms. With the rise of the World Wide Web, the number of people that started to play online has risen dramatically over the years. Since the beginning of the new millennium, the number went up to an incredible 3 million players.

Currently, the bingo industry is living in its golden era. Today, over 75% of the bingo players prefer to play on some of the best bingo sites for 2020 rather than traditional bingo. Here we are going to have a look at the key points why online bingo has become a more attractive option for many players.

The Setup

One very important difference is the setting in which the game is played. Online bingo can be played almost anywhere, as long as you have a decent internet connection. This allows you to choose both the time and the place.

If you’re playing at a land-based bingo venue you are experiencing the social factor that has been associated with the game from the very beginning. Also, there are other forms of entertainment at these bingo venues such as music gigs, and lately many modern bingo venues started offering food and drinks as well.

The Speed

As mentioned previously, speed and mobility are the main pros of playing bingo online. The element of fun, entertainment and socialising are the main selling points for live bingo halls.

The online bingo uses a random number generator as whereas at land-based halls the numbers are drawn by a caller. During a game of online bingo, a new number is called out every three seconds. In land-based bingo venues, a new number is called every 10 seconds by a bingo host.

Variety

Most common variants of games played at land-based halls are 75 and 90-ball bingo. Halls also have in-between speed rounds of the main games that are usually also variants of 75 and 90-ball bingo.

Online bingo operators have a lot more options when it comes to types of bingo games. Since the accent in online bingo is more on the speed of the game, operators also offer shorter variants like 30 or 50-ball bingo.

Interaction

The social nature of bingo halls made the game popular in the first place. Online bingo operators were aware of this and have constantly tried to replicate the social aspect online. One way that online bingo does this is through the introduction of the chat room. Most online bingo websites have a chat option which allows players to interact with each other.  The introduction of this feature proved to be a hit and brought many players online.

Prizes

Bingo games have always included an attractive jackpot offer worth playing for. The biggest offline network of bingo games in the UK is the National Bingo Game. This event takes place for the weekends and links bingo games across the country through a telephone system. Jackpot prizes can reach up to £250.000.

Online bingo offers even bigger jackpots. This is because a lot of bingo platforms use a progressive jackpot system. These jackpots are funded by taking a percentage of every bingo ticket sold for a jackpot game. The prizes keep on growing until a player hits a jackpot.

Compared with bingo halls, online bingo offers a different but quite an enjoyable experience. It is really a matter of personal preference. Both can be enjoyable and give you an opportunity to spend time with like-minded individuals. There are also plenty of chances for winning, with prizes ranging from a few pounds up to hundreds of thousands.