What do bingo and slots have in common

What do bingo and slots have in common

Apples and oranges are both fruits of a different flavour, right? So when it’s time to ask what bingo and slots have in common, we’re already in the same basket.

While both bingo and slots have been gaining in popularity over the years, especially in light of the massive spread of good online casinos offering a wide-selection of state-of-the-art online bingo and slots, there are both a number of striking similarities as well as notable differences.

What’s in common?

Let’s start off with the similarities. Both online bingo and online slots are games of chance, pure and simple. Today’s online casinos use something called a random number generator (RNG) to determine the outcome of each draw of a number or spin of the slot’s reels. RNGs are basically a sophisticated computer algorithm that works to ensure each and every draw or spin is a completely unique event statistically. This means that the previous draw or spin has no statistical effect on the next draw or spin, ensuring that each event is completely unique and random.

As a result of the use of RNGs, your chances of a specific number getting called in bingo are right up there with your chances of a specific symbol appearing on any given slot’s reel at any given time, making both bingo and slots games of pure chance.

Progressive jackpots

Modern online bingo and online slots also have another fascinating feature in common, known as a progressive jackpot. With online bingo, a progressive jackpot works so as to roll over the existing jackpot if there are no winners in any given game, dramatically increasing the total possible prize value, which can reach into the millions.

A progressive slots jackpot, on the other hand, sets aside a small percentage of the coins each player plays on every spin, adding this fraction of a coin to the overall jackpot. The result is that if there is no winner on a popular progressive slot for an extended period of time, the jackpot can become simply ginormous, reaching well into the millions.

Fundamental differences – look and feel

Now let’s take a look at the differences. Bingo obviously differs dramatically in appearance from slots play. With bingo players are given a card or cards (multiple cards can be played at the same time) with the RNG drawing winning numbers until someone hits Bingo, i.e. is able to mark off five numbers in a row.

Traditionally bingo has been played in large halls and long been a favourite of churches or schools trying to raise money or retirees engaged in pleasantly passing the time for fun and prizes. Today, with the advent of mega bingo tournaments and online bingo rooms, bingo is fast becoming an immensely popular online activity for players of all age groups and walks of life.

Slots too, have traditionally been played in large halls but unlike bingo, the crowd of players don’t all sit facing one direction, like in a theatre, or hanging out in an online bingo hall with dozens or hundreds of other players, waiting for the next number to be called. Instead, slots are arranged in rows of various types of machines across the casino floor. Players usually sit facing the slots machine and spin the reels and whatever pace and speed they choose. 

When it comes to online casino slots, the principle remains the same. Players are offered a massive selection of different slots games in the online casino lobby and can move from one to the next as they so please.

Unlike bingo, in which wacky or entertaining themes don’t exist, as the object is always to get five in a row and be the first to bingo, slot machines come in an amazing array of different types and themes. From traditional, classic 3-reel slots with a single payline, to ultra-modern 5 and 6-reel slots with up to 100 paylines. Today’s online slots come with a wide array of features that include wild symbols, scatter symbols and bonus features that trigger free spins, prize multipliers and more.

Major slots prizes include both progressive jackpots (as explained above) and fixed jackpots. Slots experts will tell you that fixed jackpot slots will pay out smaller amounts more often than progressive jackpot slots as a result of progressive jackpot slots needing to divert a percentage of each coin played into the jackpot.

So in a nutshell, that’s a quick overview of these two types of chance based gaming fruit, online bingo and online slots. While they may come in different shapes and sizes, they are both delicious fun to play in their own special ways.