Not too long ago, bingo halls were seen as places the older generations would socialise and have great fun whilst doing so; however, bingo halls are now packed to the rafters with all generations, from parties looking for fun before hitting the towns, or simply a place to meet up and enjoy the thrill of winning money in a friendly environment.

Winning in bingo comes down to pure lady luck. Although this may be the case, experienced players know there are ways to increase the chances of winning. Listed below are a few ways of bumping up your chances of shouting, “BINGO!”

Arrive Early and Avoid Busy Nights

Arriving early ensures gaining the best seats. Being first also allows time for socialising and a few drinks before the Bingo starts. Depending on the night, some sessions are better attended than others, so from an odds/winning aspect, the possibilities of winning are better when opposition is at its least. Playing with fewer people in the hall is a strategy many winners opt for. This strategy also avoids the noise and chaos of a crowded hall.

Choosing the Right Game

There is more than one way of playing Bingo; some players prefer the traditional 90-ball Bingo because there are 3 ways winning, whilst others like a 75-ball pattern game because the top prize is bigger. The right choice comes down to your comfort level and the potential payout, the odds and your experience. If you’re not 100% sure of the rules, don’t play the game.

Play Less Cards

Contrary to popular belief, buying more tickets isn’t the safest way to win a game. Not only does this initially cost more to secure the winning card, the jackpot is financed by all the losing ones; unless the player(s) are experienced at managing their cards, the chances of missing a number or two increases, so the likelihood of winning actually decreases.
Bonus Balls

A lot of games feature balls of a different colours, the ‘bonus balls”. These award a prize or double the amount of the win if part of the successful grouping or pattern features one of them. Experienced players look out for these opportunities and choose games based upon the highest payouts.
Bingo Online

If you can’t be without your Bingo fix, you can create an account online with literally hundreds of sites. You can try it first and play for fun to pass the time, or you can pay into your account and play with others in cyber rooms designated to the site for money. There are also Bingo apps and games for Smartphones – the list is endless!

Whether you play for the social side and to make new friends, or you are a diehard player with your own honed strategies, Bingo is a great game to win money and bring others together.

In the UK online bingo players have a huge choice of funding methods available. One of the most popular and convenient is Ukash. Ukash is an electronic cash service and users are given a 19 digit code that represents their prepaid money. Ukash can be purchased at 420,000 locations worldwide. Recently Ukash has received some bad press because scammers have exploited the Ukash system to further their criminal activities. Ukash is designed for the sole purpose of making online purchases and at participating businesses. Most online bingo sites doing business in the UK accept Ukash.

When online bingo players use Ukash they do not have to reveal any personal or financial details. Players enter a voucher code and the money is instantly available. Ukash has entered into a deal with payments and services network operator PayPoint that will enable its customers to withdraw funds from 24,000 locations operated by PayPoint. Online bingo players now have a “convenient and easy way to turn gaming winnings or spare Ukash back into cash.”

Before the deal Ukash online gaming winnings were returned to players in the form of a new code that could be used to make more purchases and could also be combined with other Ukash codes. The new deal extends the convenience of Ukash by allowing players to turn their Ukash into real cash instantly. David Hunter, the Chief Executive Officer for Ukash, stated “At the heart of this new service is our mission to give consumers the utmost flexibility with their Ukash. We also believe it creates even greater appeal for e-commerce retailers to add Ukash to their payment options.”

Other potential uses for Ukash include emergency cash, customer loyalty rewards, promotional awards and cash back offers. The ability to access cash without using plastic adds a new dimension to Ukash and the convenience it offers. Andrew Goddard, Retail Director for Welwyn Garden City-based PayPoint, said “Ukash has proved very popular with our customers and as a footfall generator for our retail partners. We are delighted to add cash withdrawals to our range of cash-out schemes, which enable our retailers to further benefit from the growth and scope of e-commerce.”

When most people think of bingo the conjure up images of little old ladies sitting in a smoky bingo hall with dozens of cards and good luck charms in front of them. In the late 90′s computer technology caught up with bingo and the first online bingo games were launched in 1996. The industry grew rather slowly until around 2007 when the number of bingo sites exploded. Today there are about 400 bingo sites competing for players. Online bingo players are usually younger and tech savvy. Mobile and social bingo games are extremely popular with young players. Many new versions of the game have been created and Rebel bingo is one of the new games.

A few years ago Rebel Bingo co-founder Freddie Fortune and a group of friends were in a church basement where they often held wild parties. Fortune said that “things got a bit out of control” and “We accidentally invented our own mutant form of bingo.” Typically Rebel Bingo games are held in odd locations. The game is not for the old and in fact one of the rules clearly states “no old people.” Now Rebel Bingo is coming to Las Vegas and it’s definitely not grandma’s bingo!

Fortune and co-founder James Flames games are not the usual Vegas style bingo games. There’s no bingo parlor with fluorescent lights no stiff caller and no blue haired ladies with their lucky daubers. Rebel is a different beast altogether. Fortune said “It’s like going to see a band. There are no seats. We have DJs building up the show. Then the performers come out.” Ladies in revealing costumes are the order of the day (or evening) and well lit players mark their cards and each other with pens and markers. Fortune stated “We never encouraged that, but if you give a person alcohol and a pen, some of them just seem to want to draw on each other. A lot of people wake up the day after a night at Rebel Bingo, look in the mirror, and just think ‘What the f*ck happened last night?’”

When some lucky player calls bingo they have to go onstage and compete for wacky prizes. Those who claim a bingo incorrectly will be punished to the delight of their fellow players. The Rebel bingo games will take place at the Cosmopolitan. Lisa Marchese, chief marketing officer at Cosmopolitan, said of Fortune “He’s clever; he’s dynamic; he’s not afraid to be wrong. He’ll push the envelope.”

When most people think of bingo the conjure up images of little old ladies sitting in a smoky bingo hall with dozens of cards and good luck charms in front of them. In the late 90′s computer technology caught up with bingo and the first online bingo games were launched in 1996. The industry grew rather slowly until around 2007 when the number of bingo sites exploded. Today there are about 400 bingo sites competing for players. Online bingo players are usually younger and tech savvy. Mobile and social bingo games are extremely popular with young players. Many new versions of the game have been created and Rebel bingo is one of the new games.

A few years ago Rebel Bingo co-founder Freddie Fortune and a group of friends were in a church basement where they often held wild parties. Fortune said that “things got a bit out of control” and “We accidentally invented our own mutant form of bingo.” Typically Rebel Bingo games are held in odd locations. The game is not for the old and in fact one of the rules clearly states “no old people.” Now Rebel Bingo is coming to Las Vegas and it’s definitely not grandma’s bingo!

Fortune and co-founder James Flames games are not the usual Vegas style bingo games. There’s no bingo parlor with fluorescent lights no stiff caller and no blue haired ladies with their lucky daubers. Rebel is a different beast altogether. Fortune said “It’s like going to see a band. There are no seats. We have DJs building up the show. Then the performers come out.” Ladies in revealing costumes are the order of the day (or evening) and well lit players mark their cards and each other with pens and markers. Fortune stated “We never encouraged that, but if you give a person alcohol and a pen, some of them just seem to want to draw on each other. A lot of people wake up the day after a night at Rebel Bingo, look in the mirror, and just think ‘What the f*ck happened last night?’”

When some lucky player calls bingo they have to go onstage and compete for wacky prizes. Those who claim a bingo incorrectly will be punished to the delight of their fellow players. The Rebel bingo games will take place at the Cosmopolitan. Lisa Marchese, chief marketing officer at Cosmopolitan, said of Fortune “He’s clever; he’s dynamic; he’s not afraid to be wrong. He’ll push the envelope.”

According to a recent report by the BBC the online bingo industry is flourishing in the UK. One typical player in the report was Anita Heffernan, 50, who spends two to three hours playing online bingo on a typical evening. Heffernan says it’s not for the money and her biggest win was about £400. Since bingo is a random game of chance most players spend more than they win which is probably why there are no professional bingo players. Heffernan told the BBC “It is a hobby. I would much rather do that than spend a night out in town.”

The number of bingo sites in the UK has grown. In 2002 there were only about 20 online bingo sites but today there are between 350 to 400. Major operators in the UK include newspapers like the Sun and Daily Mail and bingo hall operators Gala and Mecca. For a game long associated with socializing and a night out online bingo would seem to be at odds with most players reasons for participating in live bingo games. Many of the converted cinemas that were converted to bingo halls in the 60′s are now showing their age but that doesn’t stop millions from visiting.

Since bingo is a game of chance no special skills are required except the ability to keep up with the game caller. In the UK 90 ball bingo is the dominant game at bingo halls but online bingo sites offer several game variants including traditional 75 ball bingo, 80 ball bingo and 30 ball bingo also known as ‘speed bingo.’ Unlike 75 ball bingo 90 ball bingo cannot use special card patterns. In British bingo halls players listen for 25 random numbers between 1 and 90. Once the card is filled players shout ‘bingo’ or ‘house.’ The caller announces each number using colorful phrases such as “Two fat ladies – 88″, “clickety click – 66″.

Online bingo has attracted many young players and Anni Nevison, 21, is typical. She plays two or three times a week and five hours on Sundays. Nevison told BBC reporters “I get excitement and friendship. You go into a bingo site and it’s like a little family, it’s so chatty.” Nevison said she would like to meet some of the people she talks to in the chat rooms at bingo sites. Bingo is inexpensive and cards can be had for as little as 1p. Most are around 10P and cards for high stakes games can cost more. Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University, says that bingo is part of the “feminization” of gambling. The industry is still growing and the future of online bingo in the UK seems assured.

In the UK people are bombarded with television ads for online bingo sites and a few popular shows are sponsored by major online bingo operators. In the UK bingo operators spend millions every year on marketing of various sorts creating many jobs in the process. Online advertising is inexpensive and bingo sites have made good use of internet marketing techniques. Some reports say that online bingo operators are increasingly making use of offline advertising to market their products and services. Most bingo sites have huge playerbases but out of all the names stored only a few thousand of these may play with any regularity.

In the current bingo business climate player retention is the key to success. In the past most online bingo operators focused most of their efforts on player acquisition. Keeping players engaged is one of the best ways for an online bingo site to remain profitable. Operators have finally realized that there are a finite number of people interested in pursuing online bingo as a hobby and most operators realize that it is best to target these players than to try to attract a random selection of people who may or may not become regular players. Because of the finite number of online bingo players some gaming experts believe the UK market has reached the saturation point. Currently there are over 400 online bingo sites competing for players.

To engage potential players many bingo operators are turning to offline advertising. At one time many sites relied on email ‘blasts’ to make their products known to players. As spam filters become more sophisticated bingo operators have largely abandoned spam as a method of advertising. Some sites are sending their playerbase snail mail containing special offers and bonuses. One major player, Foxy Bingo, has actually launched a bingo magazine and is sending it out to players. Reports say the magazine combined bingo related stories with a tabloid format. The magazine was so well received that another operator, Paddy Power, duplicated the effort.

Mecca, the UK’s largest bingo hall operator sells its bingo magazine at Mecca bingo halls for £1. All of the magazines carry the latest bonuses and promotions in addition to the bingo related stories. Judging by the large amount of work and effort put into these bingo publications it is clear that no operator is taking players for granted anymore.

New Jersey’s decision to legalize online gambling made headlines in February after Governor Chris Christie signed the bill with some modifications he had requested. Fact is; online gambling has been legal for years in New Jersey. For almost a decade it has been legal for a resident of New Jersey to place a bet on a horse race on the internet or by telephone. New Jersey’s existing “account wagering” system for wagering on horses offers the convenience sought by high rollers that the industry hopes to attract. Punters who want to place a bet on a race at Meadowlands of even the Kentucky Derby can create an account that is drawn on with each bet and replenished with each win. It is similar to an EZ pass with a chance of winning big bucks.

The “account Wagering” system has been a small but growing part of legal gambling in the state. The system was first created to help the troubled horse racing industry in the state and serves a growing number of gamblers who don’t want to make a trip to a racetrack or off track betting parlor. Last year alone almost $100 million was bet on the internet or by phone accounting for about 15% of all bets placed in New Jersey. The system has suffered from a lack of awareness of its existence. According to a recent poll only 10% of New Jersey residents thought it was legal to place bets online and 35% thought it was illegal.

Many residents became aware of the system this year when news reports said that the state Sports and Exposition Authority allowed Ahmed Zayat, a horseman from Teaneck, to owe them $286,000 after making a series of bets on thoroughbred races. At the time his account did not have sufficient funds to cover the potential losses. The debt has been cited in a lawsuit by Freehold Raceway which is a part of the online wagering system. The state’s Racing Commission is conducting an investigation but would not discuss details. Officials did tell reporters that Zayat has paid the debt.

Users of the wagering system like its simplicity which bodes well for online gambling in New Jersey. While Nevada plans to limit online gaming to poker New Jersey plans to offer residents a variety of games. Potential games include online bingo, slots, blackjack, keno and other casino and table games. Former Meadowlands Racetrack announcer and track handicapper Dave Brower loves the wagering system and told reporters “I’ve found it tremendously convenient and easy to use, and I think once most people pulled the trigger, they found the same thing,” Brower said. “Then what made it more popular was the advent of racing channels such as TVG or HRTV, so that you could sit on your couch and watch the race live or on a slight tape delay.” It is hoped that online gamblers will find the state’s online casino operations as easy and convenient as Brower says.

The Rank Group is a major player in the UK bingo and casino industry. Rank operates Mecca bingo halls and Grosvenor casinos throughout Great Britain. In addition Rank has a major online bingo operation using the Mecca brand. Rank has been innovative and has invested millions of pounds refurbishing their casinos and bingo halls to appeal to a new generation of players. Recently the company unveiled its first electronics only bingo hall. Rank hopes to attract the new generation of bingo players including men in their 20′s. Although the bingo halls are still dominated by female players more men are discovering bingo and the ratio of women to men make the halls even more attractive for men.

Rank introduced the trial of electronic bingo at its venue in Reading. At the Reading hall bingo is played on electronic devices similar to iPads. The electronic games require less concentration than traditional games where players must mark their cards manually. Rank’s chairman and chief executive Ian Burke said the devices make the games more enjoyable and allow players to eat and chat while playing. Mr. Burke said that Rank still believes that the game with its traditional and colorful calls such as Two Fat Ladies, Gandhi’s Breakfast and Duck and a Crutch will be around for some time to come the new electronic games will introduce the game to a new generation of players.

During the first half of the fiscal Rank’s player numbers grew 4% to 1.1 million. Most of the increase was from the immense popularity of online bingo. During the six months to December 31st Mecca’s revenues from online bingo increased by 11% to £30.4 million. Revenue from bingo halls dropped 1% to £115.7 million. Rank believes that there are opportunities to take advantage of the popularity of online bingo by expanding digital gaming at its land based venues. Mr. Burke stated “The electronic gaming has definitely got an appeal to the under-35s” and added that men in their mid-20′s have been attracted to bingo on the digital devices.

Rank believes that the new format could possibly attract a “more even gender mix.” Players tap on the screens when numbers are called and there is a feature that allows players to catch up if they missed some numbers. Burke stated “Electronic gaming offers all sorts of additional benefits to players. I wouldn’t describe our handheld devices as an iPad, but it’s the same principle. Like many people, three years ago I would never have imagined iPads being as popular or as successful as they are. A lot of people love the tactile aspect of playing bingo with paper and pen and I imagine that will be around for a long, long time to come. But playing bingo electronically is much more akin to playing it on the internet except it’s done in a social and community setting.”

There have been some strange court cases related to bingo this week. Earlier an 18 year old from Covington Kentucky was ordered by a local judge not to say the word ‘bingo’ for six months. His offense; he went into a bingo hall with a couple of friends and shouted ‘bingo’ effectively disrupting and ending the game that was being played at the time. The audience made of elderly women who take their bingo very seriously were less than pleased with the youth’s actions.

In another strange case four employees of Gala bingo were fired for taking their own food and drink into one of Gala’s other bingo halls while on a day out last year. An employment tribunal in Dundee heard from the workers that their employees fired them on two counts. Their employer contended that they breached their liquor license and that they also breached company policy. Gala regional manager Peter Connor who is now based at the Arbroath Gala Bingo hall and made the decision to fire the workers admitted that their behavior was not a breach of the liquor license or Gala’s staff gaming policy.

The four Gala employees from Fife went to Gala’s Possil Park bingo hall and smuggled alcohol into the club and hid their liquor under the table while playing bingo. Because of their raucous behavior the hall’s management got involved and their employment by Gala was discovered. Two of the four employees, partners William Anderson, 24, and Lori Kennedy, 27, took Gala to the employment tribunal on the grounds of unfair dismissal. The other two employees involved in the incident, Susan Scappaticcio, of Carlton Avenue, Glenrothes, and Sylvia Cunnigham, settled with the company.

Mr. Connor admitted that his wording in the dismissal letter sent to Mr. Anderson and Ms Kennedy could have been better. The letter stated “The reason for your dismissal is that you were in breach of the liquor licence and the Gala staff gaming policy.” Connor said “It should have read that it was a breach of company policy and put our licence in jeopardy.” Connor told Gala’s lawyer that he asked Ms Kennedy what would have happened to other customers in the same circumstances and she replied that the alcohol would have been taken away and the manager would be informed.

When cross examined Connor admitted that there was nothing in the licensing legislation prohibiting players from bringing their own alcohol. All involved will have to wait until May for the tribunal to reconvene and make a decision. The four employees should have stayed at home and played online bingo while they consumed their drinks!

Many investors and those in the financial world are raising their stakes in internet gaming firms. Most believe the US interactive gaming market will open in the next two years and three states have already legalized online gaming in the US: New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. Giles Hargreave, manager of the top-performing £588m Marlborough Special Situations fund, has increased his company’s investments in 888 Holdings, one of the largest online gaming firms in the UK, Bwin.party Digital Entertainment and Sportech. Hargreave hopes to take advantage of the potentially lucrative American online gaming market.

Hargreave said he believes that Sportech is well positioned to take advantage of legalization in the US since the firm already has an exclusive licence to offer online horse racing betting in the state of Connecticut. Hargreave stated “America is relaxing the rules on online gaming, which is hardly surprising considering the tremendous amount of potential tax revenue on offer, and that makes companies such as 888, Bwin.party and Sportech very interesting.” Hargreave described his business strategy and stated “Weaker sterling is making companies more competitive overseas, interest rates are extremely low, and you have the switch from bonds into equities. We are also beginning to see a noticeable shift among small caps from earnings downgrades to earnings upgrades. Against that kind of backdrop, we think it is only sensible to be fully invested.”

Hargreave’s company is not the only one eying the US gaming market. Optimal Payments, formerly known as Neovia and Neteller, believes that up to 10 states in the US will legalize online gambling in the near future. The company is well positioned to take advantage of New Jersey’s legalization of online gambling. New Jersey plans to offer residents a variety of games including online bingo, slots, keno and other casino games. Optimal Payments has partnered with Caesars Entertainment and is in talks with other casino operators. In New Jersey all bets must be placed at servers located in Atlantic City casinos. Getting a gaming license will be difficult if not impossible for companies not affiliated with an Atlantic City casino.

Joel Leonoff, president and chief executive of Optimal Payments said “We think 10 states will offer entry to gaming,” and predicted that California will be the next state to legalize online gambling.  Leonoff, who was CEO of PartyGaming, now known as Bwin.party, said that he does not believe that Neteller’s previous prosecution in the US will affect his company’s planned reentry into the American online gaming market. Leonoff stated “There are different levels of compliance required for suppliers versus merchants [operators]. Merchants have a much more onerous regulatory requirement to adhere to.”

It’s no secret that the weather affects gambling in general. During inclement weather casinos are empty and bingo halls are without players. During the winter of 2011-12 severe weather in the UK kept bingo players at home. Travel including rail travel was difficult if not impossible in some areas. While live bingo halls took a big financial hit online bingo sites reported a huge increase in player numbers. In fact several top bingo operators in the UK posted record third quarter profits.

This year severe weather in the UK has again ravaged bingo halls. Hall operators report damaging losses as players stay home to avoid going out in heavy snow and cold. Rank Group is one of the UK’s largest bingo hall and casino operators. Rank operates more than 100 Mecca Bingo clubs and 35 Grosvenor casinos throughout the UK. In late January and early February Rank reported losses of £3 million in revenues due to heavy snowstorms in January. At the time some economists feared that the stormy weather could hurt the British economy and push the country back into a recession.

Even before the snowy weather land based bingo halls have not done well. Rank Group reported that profits before taxes declined by 4% year on year to £31.3 million during the six months ending in December 2012. Fortunately Rank also has a large online bingo operation that has been extremely profitable. With millions of Britons staying home the big winner has been online bingo and mobile gaming providers. It is easy to see why online bingo has done so well during the storms; online bingo players can play from the warmth and comfort of home and live bingo requires a trip to the local bingo hall.

Recent reports indicate that Europe has been hit by a rare late winter snowstorm that has paralyzed travel on the continent. Several areas in the UK have been hard hit by the recent storms and chaos has reigned on some major British highways. Once again bingo halls have seen a steep drop in player numbers and quite a few local bingo clubs have closed for the duration of the storm. According to industry figures once again online bingo is the largest beneficiary of the storms. Player numbers are up and fortunately power outages have been rare.

Once the storms are over players will return to their local bingo clubs but the financial damage has been extensive. While attendance at casinos and Mecca bingo halls declined by 30% in January Rank has been encouraged by the performance of the company’s online products including casino games and online bingo.