The advertising is everywhere: on TV, radio, print and sponsorship. Suddenly it is impossible to get away from online bingo, with over 3million users logging on regularly to their favourite provider. Yet for the newcomer, while it seems attractive and enticing, with nearly 300 online bingo providers it can be daunting to make that first step. This guide is intended to give new players the information they require to enable them to begin their journey.
The first fact that will grab you attention while browsing is the sheer volume of promotions that are on offer from every site you come across. This normally includes anything from a 10-25% initial bonus to a follow-on bonus for every player referred to the site. Many sites also utilise a points system, meaning points are accrued by playing games which can then be redeemed for a set total in the form of bingo cards.
Although initially the allure of bingo sites is the game of bingo itself, it often transpires that the reason people keep logging on to their favourite provider is not to play bingo at all. There are a host of other games that these sites offer, from casino games to keno, and when making your first forays upon the site the variety of games that are on offer is often a good indicator of the overall quality of the provider. Many bingo providers offer games for as little as £0.01, although these jackpots do tend to be smaller. The range of games means that the cost of cards varies right from £0.01 at the bottom end of the scale to £5 at the top. Each provider will also detail special tournaments with qualifying criteria which are posted either on the home page o on a calendar-style event page that informs players to which games they can look forward.
Of course, one of the beautiful things about bingo is winning prizes. The game has centred on winning since its inception as a lottery in 17th century Italy, and today it is no different. Online providers offer some incredible jackpots reaching all the way up to £50,000.
As any new player soon discovers, there is much more to bingo than jackpots and prizes. The single biggest factor in making bingo the most popular form of online entertainment in this country is the feeling of community that exists between the players. The social chat functions play a large part in this community spirit, with players logging on less for the game itself and increasingly to catch up with their friends.
Feel free to test these chat functions when you are browsing, and also keep an eye out for the ancillary chat games that each provider offers to keep things fresh in the chat rooms. These games will end up being part of the reason you decide to make that site become your new bingo home.
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