Are you considering trying out online bingo, and wondering whether it’s a game of luck or skill? Perhaps, you’ve been playing for years but don’t seem to win all that frequently compared to your friends and fellow roomies, and are worried that you’re doing something wrong? If so, this article’s for you!
Games of Chance
Many of the games you come across in your day-to-day life, as well as in land-based and online casino sites and bingo halls involve “games of chance”. Typical “games of chance” are roulette, poker, bingo, lotteries, and scratch cards, and the term refers to any game whose outcome is heavily influenced by a random element such as playing cards, dice, spinning wheels, and numbered balls drawn from a receptacle. The words “random” and “chance” imply that players don’t have much, if any, control over the result of each game. Instead, there’s merely the possibility that something could happen – either you win or you lose. But, is that really the case?
Luck
When players win (particularly multiple times), they’re often considered lucky, and when they lose, they’re unlucky or “it’s just not their lucky day”. As a nation, we’re still very superstitious. Even if you don’t consider yourself superstitious because you don’t have a rabbit’s foot hanging around your neck or spend your spare time searching for four-leaf clovers, you might be more superstitious than you think. For example, how many times have you avoided (unintentionally or otherwise) walking under a ladder or opening an umbrella while indoors? Nobody wants to be unlucky, and that’s why many of us have lucky numbers as we believe that they might bring us good fortune.
Bingo players, in particular, are big believers in luck. In land-based bingo halls, they can often be seen with lucky mascots on their tables, and some believe that a particular table or chair brings them luck. While this theory can’t be proved or disproved, we do know that the outcome of each game is determined randomly. But, if there’s no luck involved whatsoever, why do some folk win more frequently than others? After all, many bingo, roulette, and lottery winners put their wins down to using their favourite/lucky numbers.
Skill
Skill comes into it when you know how to push the odds in your favour, even just a little. And, with bingo, it’s entirely possible to do so.
Some call it skill – others call it strategy – either way, there are a few ways you can gain a competitive edge over your fellow roomies.
For starters, playing with more than one card will improve your odds of winning. Now, if you’re on a modest budget, you might not be able to afford the maximum number of cards in each game. However, this doesn’t mean you have to be at a disadvantage to those who can afford to max out. Look out for BOGOF ticket offers and opportunities to win or earn bonus funds at your favourite site as they’ll help your money go much further while also boosting your winning potential. Chat games, for example, often offer BBz as prizes, and they’re fun, as well as free to play.
The time of day you choose to play games can also help. If you’ve ever visited an online bingo site at coffee time, lunchtime or early in the evening, you’ve probably noticed that the rooms are very busy. By being more selective about what times you play, you can help ensure there are few competitors. If you’re an early riser or a night owl, playing bingo in the small hours or late at night means there’ll be fewer roomies online and more chance of you winning. Bear in mind, however, that games whose prizes depend on the amount of tickets sold may offer smaller prizes as a result.
Summary
So, in answer to the question, “Is bingo a game of luck or skill”, you could say it’s a bit of both. As Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, Richard Wiseman, once told the Daily Mail Online, “People can create luck and good fortune by changing their outlook on life, focusing on grabbing opportunities and creating positive expectations.” On the other hand, the tactics we mentioned above can make skill an equal (if not slightly greater) factor than luck.
