| "There was a farmer had a dog..." You know the | | | | of 25 and 55. Somewhat more surprising is the |
| rest. | | | | low percentage of players over 65. Traditionally, |
| For most of us, our first encounter with Bingo is | | | | bingo is associated with senior citizens who spend |
| as a farmer's dog. Bingo's legacy as a children's | | | | their twilight years hoping for the jackpot. |
| campfire song is undeniable. | | | | However, found that only two percent of free, |
| As we grew up, so did that dog. Bingo mutated | | | | online bingo gamers are over the age of 65. |
| from a song to a game. Five column cards filled | | | | While grandma still finds her way to the hall to get |
| with random numbers became the essential game | | | | her game on, mom is sitting at home dialing-up to |
| of chance. That dog's name became a shout of | | | | find her game. estimates that over 85% of online |
| victory, filled with the joy and satisfaction of | | | | bingo gamers access their games from home, |
| beating the odds. | | | | and over 50% play every day. |
| For several decades, bingo was played in large | | | | One major reason mom is addicted to the online |
| halls, where hundreds of people played on game | | | | version of grandma's game is because of an |
| cards of cheap cardboard, hoping for the big | | | | autoplay function many sites feature. In an |
| score. Over the past decade, the game that | | | | autoplay game mode, players simply let the cards |
| owns the name of a farmer's dog has made the | | | | play the game for them. As long as the cards are |
| jump from the VFW to the WWW. Bingo as a | | | | purchased and a game screen is up on a |
| song is still tailor-made for young kids at the | | | | computer, mom can do things around the house |
| campfire, but the game has changed with the | | | | while games are played. Also, many webpages |
| times and moved online. | | | | include ongoing chat screens in addition to their |
| Bingo has always been one of America's hidden | | | | games, so online players can get the bingo hall |
| pastimes. According to IGWB ( an estimated 1.6 | | | | atmosphere right from the comfort of their own |
| billion people attended bingo halls across the | | | | home. |
| country in 2003. To put things in perspective, that | | | | "Keeping active chat lines running takes up a lot of |
| staggering attendance number is almost more | | | | bandwidth, so we tried to create several games |
| than the amount of people who attended movie | | | | without it," said Anthony Wayne, an online |
| theaters and bowling alleys, combined. | | | | consultant for Curacao-based Bingo site ( "Each |
| Over the past four years, the number of bingo | | | | game failed miserably. Chat is very important to |
| sites on the internet has increased twenty-one | | | | the success of these games." |
| fold, from five in 1999 to 105 in 2003. Free bingo | | | | Before long, grandma could even be logging on |
| sites definitely seem to be the most popular place | | | | for her games. If she does, as traffic trends |
| to get a game going. According to ( over 45% of | | | | seem to indicate, the online bingo market could |
| bingo sites are free play only. Around 70% of all | | | | soar in revenue. According to Parlay |
| online bingo sites are either totally free to play, or | | | | Entertainment ( 70% of players in bingo halls |
| mostly free with a few premium, pay-to-play | | | | already play online games. If 1% of remaining |
| games. | | | | hall-only bingo players move to the internet in the |
| Online bingo shows overwhelming popularity here | | | | next two years, online bingo could become a |
| in the States. According to ( 90% of online bingo | | | | $700 million market. |
| players who use free play sites are North | | | | The old song tells of a farmer who had a dog. |
| American. | | | | That dog's name now belongs to a game of luck. |
| Eighty percent of those who played free, online | | | | Over the years, that game has received a new |
| bingo last year were female, according to | | | | look. As more and more bingo games move out |
| Surprisingly, the average age of an online bingo | | | | of the hall and onto the net, players will move |
| player (male or female) was 41, with over 80 | | | | right along. The future of bingo is online... and so is |
| percent of those players being between the ages | | | | the money to be made. |