In the UK, there are some things that have stood the test of time better than others. Flares, for example, have not stood the test of time.
A noteworthy example of a time test surviving triumph is bingo, a bizarre form of entertainment that has been available in the UK in some form since 1716, a plethora of facts are available here.
Even with challenges in the relatively recent past such as the smoking ban, bingo halls have on the whole survived everything that has been thrown at them.
As a stereotype, bingo players are an old and somewhat frail crowd, but in reality 80% of players are aged between 35 and 64 and even younger if we look at the demographic that play online.
In the search for reasons why people still play bingo, we’ve come across the following key points:
It’s an Opportunity to get Social
Socialising is important for obvious reasons and bingo halls are a great place to congregate with friendly faces on a regular basis (78% of players enjoy bingo more than once a week). Aside from the games, bingo halls are generally a perfect place to enjoy a cheap and cheerful meal and a cup of tea or even an alcoholic beverage, if the mood takes you. Even those who play online are able to enjoy the social element thanks to chat rooms in many of the bingo rooms.
Good Prizes
Bingo is generally thought of as a ‘soft’ or low stakes type of gambling. Participation costs tend to be relatively low compared to other forms of gambling – it is still gambling though and therefore comes with the risk of losing what you spend.
Despite the modest ticket prices, bingo halls often put on a superb range of prizes. Sometimes it will be money that will be on offer, but other times it can be tangible items.
It’s Exhilarating
Although the concept is simple, anyone who’s ever picked up a bingo dauber knows that once the numbers start, keeping up with the game takes a lot of concentration. As the game progresses, seeing yourself edge closer to a win can cause the heart rate to increase and the competition amongst players becomes palpable. In a word, the game is exhilarating.
Variety of Games
Fortunately to keep things exciting there are multiple varieties of the game of bingo. It’s possible to play the fairly typical 90 ball version where you play for one line, then two and finally a full house, but it’s also possible to play other variants such as 75 ball (AKA ‘Pattern Bingo’, where your grid is marked with a patten that you must cover as the numbers are called.
It’s Cheap
As long as you remain sensible, bingo can be a cheaper alternative than many other meeting venues, such as the cinema or bowling alley.
It’s very possible to keep to a modest budget, whilst at the same time enjoying subsidised drink and food prices.
Overall, we think we’ve probably got it sussed. There are multiple convincing reasons why bingo has stood the test of time.
