Compelling Bingo:

Just what is it about bingo that is so compelling? When one thinks of Bingo, it is hard not to think of someone sitting in a Bingo hall, holding several cards, frantically daubing blots with each number that is called. Finally, exuberantly, someone calls out "BINGO" - finally winning the game. There is much excitement all around. Of course, there is little skill involved in the game besides speed - the first to call out Bingo is the winner, but every player is totally at the mercy of the numbers that are called. Why go through the ordeal of waiting to see if you have won? Players who seek some element of control in gambling will often seek out games like Roulette, Blackjack or Poker - where an element of choice is involved that gives the player a feeling (real or imagined) that their destiny is more in their own hands.

Slot machines offer a similar environment of pure chance, but don't require the time investment that a single Bingo game does. So what is the difference? Simply put, it is the thrill of the chase. As a Bingo game develops, you know exactly how close you are to victory. You know exactly what numbers you need to have called to get there. And as each ball is called, the anticipation grows. Will the next one be it? The next? With a slot machine, a pull of the arm and a split second is the only gratification you will get for a single play. A game of Bingo lasts much longer. There are often consolation prizes in Bingo as well, so even if you aren't the ultimate winner, there is still a chance you might win something if you are so tantalizingly close to victory, but not quite close enough to cross that finish line first. Anyone can put a coin in a one-armed bandit, pull the arm, lose and walk away. Anyone can play Bingo as well. But the difference is - the excitement lasts for much longer in a Bingo game than a single pull on a slot machine, making the game ideal for people who want a little more excitement in their gambling, but who are intimidated by more aggressive games like poker and blackjack, where more knowledge and confrontation is required to be successful. Bingo is easy, fun, and has little to no pressure - an ideal beginners gambling game.