Online bingo is one of the most popular online games. Some of the major reasons for the popularity are that there is no stigma associated with bingo since most people do not consider it as gambling, cards are very cheap to buy, you get unparalleled convenience since you can play whenever you want, wherever you are, your anonymity is protected, and it is a great stress reliever and pastime. Shedding the stereotypes about online bingo is difficult, but knowing the statistics about the game's players will help you in shedding the stereotype and it will create interest in the game. Although these statistics may vary from one country to the next, there is a similar trend across the board.
Global yields for online bingo were estimated at 1 billion dollars in 2010. This was up from US$500 million back in 2006. This trend is expected to continue as global access to the Internet increases. The most common games of bingo are 90 ball bingo and 75 ball bingo, which involve the use of 90 balls and 75 balls respectively. Those wishing to play a quicker game play the game with 30 balls that are numbered 1 through 30. The game is called speed bingo or 30 ball bingo. There is increased interest in 80 ball bingo by people who find 90 balls to be too many and 75 balls to be too few.
In the UK, online bingo gender statistics stand at 30% men and 70% women. Women are the majority in the rest of Europe, U.S., Australia, and most of South America. Global statistics stand at 20% men and 80% women, mostly because third world countries in Africa and Asia have a very small percentage of men playing. Stereotype that bingo is a woman's game is strongest in these counties, as is the belief that men's roles and women's roles should be separated.
According to a recent study, 85% of all bingo players play online bingo. Of the online players, 50% love bingo so much that they play every day. The same study found that players who are aged over 65 prefer bingo halls. The study shows that people aged between 18 and 24 make up 13.75% of all players, people aged between 25 and 34 make up 15.96% of all players, people aged between 35 and 49 make up 25.26% of all players, people aged between 50 and 54 make up 5.82% of all players, people aged between 55 and 64 make up 6.66% of all players and people aged above 65 make up a mere 2.96% of all online bingo players.
Other interest stats on online bingo players are that 83% of online players multitasked while playing bingo over the Internet in 2006, 69.2% of the players opt for 75 balls bingo while only 30.8% opt for 90 balls bingo. Celebrities such as Bono, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sharon Osborne, and TV star Kelly Ripa all play online bingo. Research shows that most of the younger players play online bingo to socialize and not necessarily to hit the jackpot.
