Some traditional games have stood the test of time, usually the ones that combine luck with skill in a way that gives anyone a chance to win but favours those with skill and experience. Bingo is just such a game – it’s ideal for groups as anyone can learn how to play really easily, and it’s a fun way to try and win a prize whether that’s playing in person, or online.

Bingo has become a popular activity for many people since the transition online. Numerous factors make online bingo more appealing to players including free bingo. Free bingo is offered by many online bingo providers for players to try out a bingo site and game before depositing their own money. Sites like 888 ladies free bingo offer players the chance to try out their games and win prizes for free!

Variations on the game of bingo have been popular in Europe since the 1530s when it was all the rage in Italy, before migrating to Britain in the 18^th century. But it wasn’t until the 1920s that bingo-fever really took hold in the UK as it was played at fairs and carnivals, and its popularity grew until a further bingo explosion in the 1960s.

This was the result of a law called the Betting and Gaming Act that was introduced on New Year’s Day 1961, allowing large cash prizes to be offered for the first time. Operators started offering bingo in their existing network of dancehalls, theatres and cinemas encouraging bingo to proliferate across the UK.

With an existing reputation for providing entertainment, bingo became a firm favourite among the people that frequented the dancehalls. A community built up around the bingo halls, particularly among women for whom bingo halls represented a chance to socialise, have some fun and be in with a chance of winning big.

Playing the game

Bingo became well known for the way the numbers were called, with several of the most popular bingo calls making their way into the wider language, including:

• One little duck (two)

• Lucky number seven

• Doctor’s orders (nine)

• Legs eleven

• Unlucky for some (thirteen)

• Sweet sixteen

• Key to the door (twenty one)

• Two little ducks (twenty two)

• Life begins (forty)

• Clickety click (sixty six)

A game of bingo is commonly known for its numerous call-outs.

The popularity of bingo has cemented the game into the national culture, and it is commonly played in a variety of formats including children’s games and informally among friends as well as at events and social occasions. When televisions swept the nation, cinemas and theatres were struggling to stay afloat, but using them as bingo halls created a demand that enabled them to stay open and weather the decline.

Bingo had such a huge cultural impact that it became a staple of holiday parks and working men’s clubs, with people playing it whenever and wherever they could. As technology began to become more prevalent, electronic bingo became popular and the diversification of the traditional game began.

Electronic bingo made it easier to play more cards at once on terminals within the bingo halls, making it an exciting addition to the traditional game. Being able to play electronic bingo made it possible for players to keep track of more cards than usual and bingo halls offered packages to encourage people to choose to play electronically.

Online bingo is as popular as ever

The digital revolution has seen a number of traditional games given a new life online and bingo is no exception. The element of luck combined with a knowledge of how to play translates through the digital platform in a way that enhances the game.

All the elements that make bingo popular have been translated into the online game, giving more people the chance to enjoy the thrill of playing for cash prizes, but in a more convenient and flexible way. Without the need to be in the same place, friends can now play together online more easily than they might have been able to meet.

Being able to play online has brought bingo into the 21^st century and it is attracting a new demographic of players with its appeal among millennials who have taken to online bingo in recent years. Bingo sites are offering more engaging games and developing apps to allow players to game on the go and play whenever they get the opportunity.

By being accessible online, bingo now appeals to a younger demographic.

Bingo promotions appeal to online players

Another aspect of online bingo that appeals to a number of players is the potential for offering bonuses and additional prizes. Traditional bingo halls used to offer lucky numbers and special prizes for finishing on particular squares, and online bingo is no different. Some of the most popular types of promotion include:

• Welcome bonuses

• Free games

• Deposit bonuses

• Free spins

• VIP rooms

• Prize wheels

• Daily bonuses

• Buy one get on for free

• Referral bonuses

There are a number of ways to play bingo online without having to risk your own cash and players can make the most of the offers available to maximise their potential income.

Keeping bingo current

While the physical socialising associated with bingo suffered as bingo halls closed, new communities grew online, allowing the social side of the game to thrive. Players can chat, share tips and compare notes as they play, making the most of the chance to share their stories with other players.

This means that developers are able to access real-time feedback and design games that are even more fun and engaging to encourage players to keep coming back and sharing the game with their friends and family. Bingo has been popular for so long that it’s no surprise that digital bingo has carried on what traditional bingo started.