Global Sports: Online Bingo Vs. Bingo Halls

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Online Bingo Vs. Bingo Halls

By Dave Dickens

Whether played online or in halls, all Bingo games operate on the same basic principle: random numbers are drawn, and players with pre-printed cards containing these numbers mark them when drawn. Each game has a set pattern to achieve, be it a single line, horizontal, vertical, or perhaps the outer edges of the card, or even a completely random design. The first person or persons to form the required pattern via the drawn numbers achieves "Bingo." Bingo is merely a game of chance, without much skill involved, and for this reason it is often compared to the lottery. Online Bingo games tend to be a lot less personal than those played live - as hall Bingo is well-known for its vibrancy. Popular with the geriatric set, Bingo is often lauded for being yawn-inducing. However, many regular players might disagree - heated battles between players have often been fought over a supposed "Bingo!"

For this reason, online Bingo is not considered to be as lively, or its constituents as community-based. Despite the missing live human element, many online Bingo halls do offer discussion boards, forums, and live online chat. These sites do try to encourage mingling and camaraderie, and for those who are home bound, they offer the only access to group Bingo that is available. Online Bingo sites hope that this will be enough to stimulate those who must opt for the Internet.

Online Bingo games also offer some features that traditional halls simply cannot - such as having cards automatically marked for numbers, or allowing others to have cards that are dangerously close to "Bingo." This makes the game even easier for players who can now interact with others in the game, take phone calls, do chores, or eat dinner without interrupting the game action. Friends can also meet each other online and play against each other - a rare time when interaction between players is encouraged, since cheating in online Bingo is pretty much an impossibility.

There is a slight difference between the North American version of Bingo and that commonly played in the U.K. and other parts of Europe. The European version uses more balls (90 vs. 75) and a larger card (9x3 vs. 5x5.) The patterns required for number arrangements can vary, although the U.K. seems to prefer the three part game - the first winner with just a single line, the second, with two lines, and the grand winner has a full house (all of the numbers in the card were drawn.) Online Bingo games do not use balls like traditional halls - they use perfectly-programmed random-number generators.

The first known online Bingo site was "Bingo Zone", established in 1996, and continues to this day. Later, in 1998, Uproar created "Bingo Blitz". Today, there are thousands of online Bingo games, some with dedicated sites - others as part of a larger online gaming site. The free sites work by giving out prizes that are basically paid for by sponsors/advertisers.

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