Bingo
In the grand scheme of things, most people don’t think of bingo as being an important part of the gambling world. Sure, just about everyone has played it a few times: you might have played it with a parent as part of a charity event at a local church, for instance. But how can that compare to the kinds of games you play at a casino?
In reality, though, bingo is a big business. Many casinos actually include halls for the game (especially Native American resorts in the United States), and the online gaming industry has certainly not forgotten about this pastime, either. On the Internet, it has become a social experience, allowing players to compete for prizes while chatting and building communities. One of the many great examples of this is Bingo, a creation that allows users to play for fun or for real money with other enthusiasts.
A Danish Delight
Spigo is a company based in Viborg, Denmark. That location informs a lot of their real money business, as their most prominent products are those they license to Danske Spil, the Danish state-owned gaming firm that still controls much of the industry in the country, including their bingo operations. Spigo is also known for offering casual, specialty casino games in a variety of markets, some of which are offered through partnerships with developers like Play’n Go. You’ll find titles like backgammon, hearts, “Yatzy,” and others that are available for real money play in a variety of markets.
Their bingo games, like their other products, are built on an HTML5 framework that make them stable and accessible on any platform, using any device, at any time. This is an entirely web-based program, one that has run smoothly every time we’ve tried to use it.
As with all of their games, Spigo offers both play money and real money options, allowing you to test this offering right on their website. When it comes to practice play, you can even play a solo version in which you watch your cards against computer opponents, allowing you to get a handle on the game in the least stressful environment possible.
The main pregame option that you’ll need to determine is just how many cards you wish to purchase for each round. If you’re playing for real money, options for the cost of cards will be determined by the operator running the site; in general, most companies will offer various rooms at different stakes, offering up a little something for everyone.
Once you end up in the game, you’ll be presented with a very crisp, understated layout. The main part of the screen is devoted to your cards, as well as a number board, which appears above them. As each number is called, you’ll see it appear next to the board. This is an excellent chance to learn some numbers in Danish, as that’s the language the caller uses throughout the game (at least in the version we played).
The game of choice here is standard, 75-number bingo, as is often played in North America. However, the patterns you’ll be aiming for vary, as they are picked at random from a seemingly infinite number of possibilities. In one game, you may have to make a specific line, while in the next, a full card could be required – and anything in between could also be seen.
On your cards, the necessary pattern spots will be shaded darker than the rest of the ticket, allowing you to see what you need in order to score a win. As numbers are called for you, your matches will be shaded red instead. If you prefer a more traditional “dab,” you can either do that manually by clicking on your called numbers, or you can hit an auto button in order to have this done on your behalf by the computer.
Once someone hits a winning pattern, bingo will be called, and the prize for that round, if any, will be awarded. However, this isn’t your only chance to score a prize. At times, you’ll see a jackpot overlay appear over the screen, quickly cycling between several possibilities: no prize, a few very small consolation awards, and the jackpot, which could potentially be worth hundreds of Euros or more. The jackpot total is always listed on the right side of the screen, right above the chat box where you can communicate with your fellow players.
A Pure Experience
Bingo isn’t a platform that has a lot of style or special features, but it delivers in all the areas that are important. The interface is easy to use, and we loved that it was built entirely in HTML5, requiring no special downloads and allowing for play on just about any mobile device or desktop operating system you can imagine. The inclusion of social elements are always welcome, as chat has become such a major part of the online bingo scene over the years. Even the random jackpot game is a lot of fun, even if it usually results in players winning either nothing or an extremely small amount of cash. It’s more or less added value, so who are we to complain?
Because of the malleability of the Spigo platform, a lot of what you see on this game will depend on exactly how a given site chooses to implement it. But that having been said, all of the elements of an excellent bingo framework are here. If you have access to a site that offers these Spigo titles, and you’re a fan of playing this classic gambling pastime, we recommend giving it a try. You might not find anything about it spectacular, but for a fast, fun, and basic way to dab some cards and call out bingos, this is a fine choice.
