The Difference
There is a vast difference between land based and online bingo. The purists may shun online bingo, just as cricket purists would shun any version of the game which is not Test cricket. The fact remains, however, that the game’s roots are still the same. The land based bingo which we know today is not bingo in its original form. Bingo has gone through many changes over the past few hundred years where it started in Italy. Although the game of bingo is the same in its roots, the game played in bingo halls is very different to the game of bingo played in France in the 1700s. Things change. Things adapt over time. Online bingo is just the next stage in the game’s evolution.

The Changes
Online bingo sites are designed to look exactly like land based bingo halls. As graphics have improved over the last decade, online bingo has been moulded to become a virtual replica of land based bingo. The more sophisticated sites even have real sound effects and people walking around the hall. This is to ensure that online bingo players do not feel that they are moving too far away from the real experience. The main difference between the two is that random number generators have taken the place of the person picking the ball out. However, the odds are exactly the same.

Ease and Convenience
The biggest advantage online bingo has over land based bingo is the convenience. There is no travel time required and online bingo can easily be worked into a person’s schedule – no matter how busy the schedule happens to be. The biggest contributor to this has been the automated functions available where players can select their cards to literally play themselves and shout “bingo!” once the card has been completed. This allows players to get on with other things without the fear of missing out on a winning card. Online casinos are also open 24/7, which again allows a player to play ay his/her convenience.

Sociability
Online bingo halls do however lack human interaction. This sociability is what has made bingo one of the world’s favourite games. Bingo halls often form the highlight of the week for many communities. Online bingo sites have countered this by not only adding realism to the playing experience, but also introducing live chat. This has resulted in virtual online communities and many online bingo halls attract a specific group of people at a certain time – much like land based bingo halls. Where bingo halls only have one game going at a time, online bingo sites have many different games going at once so the choice is much broader.

Payouts
With regards to payment, land based bingo allows players to be paid in cash on the evening. Cash in hand is always a psychological boost. However, as the secure online payment methods become more advanced, players are being paid out quicker.

The gap between online and land based bingo is closing. There will always be a place for both variations of the game.