Why Bingo is Getting Popular with Sports Fans

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Like most other forms of casino gaming, bingo has a pretty lengthy history. Studies trace its invention back to Italy in the 1500s and it is connected to the original lottery in that country.

It did not really hit the shores of the UK until the 20th century though and it gradually caught on. From its origins as a game for the aristocracy, bingo became the favourite of working class women during the 1950s and 1960s.

Then its popularity went into decline in the 1980s and bingo halls started to shut their doors. What revived it was the internet and now people of all ages are playing bingo at the many fantastic online bingo sites on the web.

Even sports fans are starting to get in on the action and this article will explore what is attracting them to the game.

An Alternative to Sports Wagering

Although no one has yet researched the matter, it is very likely that the sports fans who are discovering bingo are also fans of wagering on sports. That is because they already have a taste for the thrill of casino gaming and bingo provides another outlet for it.

Think about it: even the most passionate fan of sports wagering will sometimes find themselves in need of an alternative to it. Maybe their team is struggling and they temporarily prefer to avoid having to think too much about their favourite sport.

Or it could be that the sport they are most interested in is having its close season. Wagering on sports requires real knowledge of them so it is not as if the average football fan can just switch to wagering on cricket or tennis during the summer months.

Bingo is a game that anyone can learn to play. A lot of online bingo sites also provide demo game modes where you can master the rules before starting to play for actual money. 

Sports fans are discovering it when looking for something different from sports wagering and finding they like it enough to stick around. 

Online Bingo Means Convenience

Most sports fans who are getting into bingo are playing the online version. The bricks and mortar bingo hall still has too much of an association with middle aged women for them to truly embrace it.

By contrast, online bingo seems modern and attracts a younger base of players. It is also a lot more convenient, with players able to log in and play bingo games on the go.

That is leading sports fans to play online bingo on their way to and from matches as well as during the half-time breaks. The games are fast and ideal for adding excitement and interest to brief dull patches in the day.

Online bingo sites feature themed versions of the game too, which takes them beyond the basic formats on offer at bricks and mortar halls. It is even possible to get sports themed games.

Sports Bingo Nights

Fans of both sport and bingo may not visit bingo halls, but they are taking their new love for the game and playing in the physical world. Many are organising bingo nights where they play games based on sports like the rugby inspired bingo lineout.

It is a simple variant of bingo where the cards have various lineout situations on them, like:

  • Turnover
  • Clean Catch
  • Quick Throw

The players just watch a rugby game together and mark off these things on their cards as they occur during the game. Something similar can be done with football or any other sport and it lets sports fans enjoy both activities at the same time.

Bingo and Sports Have Things in Common

Bingo is a game that is more about luck than strategy, but playing it well involves focus and concentration. The player has to listen closely to what numbers are being called out while also checking to see if they are on the card.

Sports fans have an advantage in playing it because following a sports match requires paying attention. Many is the football fan who has bemoaned missing a key moment during a match because his attention was distracted by something happening around him.

Sports fans are used to dedicating their minds and their eyes totally to the game for its duration and that is a useful skill to have in bingo. Therefore if you have not given it a go up until now, it really is time that you try.

You never know, you might become the latest sports fan to find that bingo is enjoyable.

Sports fans are discovering bingo and finding that it offers a fun alternative to sports wagering as well as a great way to pass spare time, especially with the convenience of online bingo.