Marcus Richards
The online bingo or casino world is vibrant and exciting, with new bingo sites 2020 coming online, existing sites offering new bonuses and promos, for both existing gamers and new clients.
Setting the scene: The exponential growth of bingo, especially online bingo
The research article titled, “The Online Bingo Boom in the UK: A Qualitative Examination of Its Appeal,” examines what factors have contributed to its increase in popularity over the seven or so years.
In summary, bingo has seen significant growth from about 2013 onwards. The gross income from the online bingo industry in the European Union was about €926 million. The UK is the world’s largest individual market grossing about €332 million. It’s also interesting to note that more women play online bingo than men. A 2012 Health Survey for England noted that 7% of all English women played bingo compared with 3% of English men. Playing bingo is also “consistently associated with lower socioeconomic status and deprivation.”
As a result, in tough economic conditions, the 7% number rose to 12% of all English women resort to playing bingo. It is assumed that people often resort to gambling or playing games of chance in tough economic times as a means to generate an income by winning the jackpot, and as a way of feeling better about their circumstances. The involvement in high-risk activities is a known way to increase endorphin levels in the human brain.
It is too soon after the 2020 global pandemic that single-handedly shut down the global economy with about 3.9 employees out of every 1000 UK residents being made redundant to determine the impact of the pandemic on the gambling metrics. The pandemic is not yet over, even though countries are starting to reopen the economies and allow people to move around; thereby, resulting in an increase in infection rates. However, based on a historical analysis of playing trends during economic hardships, it makes sense that playing online bingo will increase both in the number of people playing and the amount spent per session.
At the outset of this discussion, it is essential to note that, while playing bingo as a hobby is legal and totally understandable as an entertainment activity or stress reliever, it is critical to note that it is a high-risk activity and players should not use money they cannot afford to lose. Secondly, it is important to gamble in moderation and know when to stop.
What to look out for in the way of weekly updates
As stated at the outset of this article, the online bingo environment is alive, exciting, and vibrant with new offers for existing patrons and new clients every week. So, let’s take a look at some of these offers so you know what to expect.
The welcome or sign-up offer
If you are a new gamer or wish to sign up with a new virtual bingo hall, it’s a good idea to look for the best welcome bonus offers.
Let’s consider the following scenario – a welcome bonus for new clients:
If a new client signs up with an online bingo site known as Bingo X, the operator will give the client the following:
Deposit £10, get £30 free bingo tickets, and 10 free spins on a qualifying slot game like Gonzo’s Quest.
At this juncture, it’s essential to note that as great as the promo looks, it is critical to consider the offer’s terms and conditions to determine whether it is worth taking up. Welcome or sign-up bonuses are usually worth accepting because online bingo operators want new clients to sign up with their brand. The greater the number of new clients, the higher the potential turnover.
However, by way of demonstrating the process of determining whether the bonus is worth accepting, let’s look at the terms and conditions:
- This bonus is only valid for first-time depositors and signees.
- The offer is valid until further notice.
- The free bingo tickets are only valid for specific rooms like Dreamy Monday and Terrific Tuesday.
- Wins from these free tickets are converted into cash and added to the player’s bankroll.
- Free spins are only valid for 10 days.
- The minimum winning amount is £1.
- The free spins must be wagered at 800x.
- The maximum bonus amount that can be won is £100.
Consequently, even if the free spins are not used, the £30 free bingo tickets are worth accepting. And, a maximum winning amount of £100 is not to be sneezed at. The player can win a maximum of £100 using the £30 free tickets. Therefore, even if no money is won, the player still has deposited £10, and if there is any money won, the player’s bankroll can increase tenfold. This bonus is worth considering.
A bonus for existing players
One of the marketing tactics that online bingo operators use to increase the number of players at a specific virtual bingo table is to offer daily or weekly specials that are only valid for the day or week.
A good example of a weekly bonus includes the following benefits:
- A 25% discount on all cards between 5pm and 9pm on the Monday of the week.
- The Wednesday bonus includes all 1 To-Go (TG) positions in a game get a free card in the next game between 12pm and 12am.
- The Sunday bonus includes a 25% discount on all cards between 12:30pm and 2pm at specific bingo tables.
As an aside, the “To Go (TG)” point is the number of positions the player is away from winning. Ergo, 1TG is one position away from winning, 2TG is two positions away from winning, and so on. Therefore, if a gamer is playing the traditional 5-in-a-row to win bingo, then a 1TG translates into the fact that the gamer is 1 number away from reaching the 5-in-a-row win. And a 2TG means that the player is 2 numbers away from reaching the traditional 5-in-a-row win.
Final thoughts
With careful consideration and forethought, you can use the weekly bonus and promo updates to increase your bankroll. As described above, the only caveat is you need to pay particular attention to the related terms and conditions.
