Bingo is a game in which players mark off numbers on cards as the numbers are drawn randomly by a caller, the winner being the first person to mark off all their numbers.
1. Many people think that the players are women. Looking back over the history of the game, it’s easy to see why people made that assumption. For decades, bingo halls have been dominated by female players. Even more recently, the breakdown between male and female players has leaned heavily in favor of women (32% men vs. 68% women).
Many have hypothesized why this is the case, putting it down to bingo is a more social game or one that’s less competitive, or even due to the way some companies market their bingo services, but for whatever reason, the demographics of players are starting to change.
There can be other opinions. Maybe men feel more comfortable playing online as they are less likely to feel embarrassed or get harassed, or there are some gender stereotypes more consciously, the simple fact is that there are a fair number of men who are playing the game - they're just doing it online.
It is still mainly women who play, but there are a growing number of men who play online bingo.
2. For many years, it’s been assumed that bingo is a game that older people play, and when one just looks on the surface, this stereotype might appear to be true. In the past, if you popped into a casino to enjoy some casino games, or you visited a bingo hall or other bingo event, you’d likely find a large number of older people playing the game. This stereotype has also been reinforced by popular media, with films and television depicting bingo players as old people. But as always, the truth is a little bit more complex.
Many younger people are playing the game online.
While this may mean older people prefer to play in person, there’s undoubtedly a community of young bingo players who enjoy playing online, which likely bodes well for the future of this fun game of chance.
3. If you’re an older bingo player, it might seem to you as though bingo is dying. After all, there was a time when bingo halls were not only pretty common, they offered massive prizes as well. For example, there was the Big Cypress bingo hall in South Florida. In 1987, a group of investors had massive plans and built this incredible bingo hall in the swamps. Back then, the game was so popular that this particular venue offered cash prizes worth up to $1 million and even new cars that you could win! Meanwhile, in the UK, there were more than 600 bingo halls in the early 2000s, while only a fraction remains open today.
As we already mentioned, online bingo is being embraced by a younger generation, with a growing number of men choosing to play the game online. As far back as the early 2010s, people noticed how the online version of the game was drawing in players. A 2013 article from the BBC, “Online bingo: A very full house,” highlighted how UK players were flocking to sites to play, attracted by the convenience of gameplay and the buzzing chat rooms. Add to this the fact you can play multiple games, and that there’s much more variety, and you have a recipe for success!
It’s evolving into a fantastic online experience.
4. For as long as there are games of chance, there’ll be people claiming that bingo games are rigged. Whether they claim a bingo card is designed to make sure they lose, or that the digital versions of the game are designed to rip you off, naysayers would like to think that the world is out to get them, not that they’re just having a run of bad luck.
If you’re new and are learning how to play bingo online, or you’re an expert who’s been playing with daubers and bingo cards for years, you’ll hear these stories from people, but the question is: are they right?
The truth is that both game hosts, game players, and others can cheat at the game, but there are checks and balances to ensure this doesn’t happen. To keep a relationship of trust with their players, both bingo halls, game developers, casinos, and online casinos undergo audits by independent organizations to verify that their games are fair. This ensures the businesses (and the games they offer) are trustworthy, and that players can relax and have a good time.