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What is Slingo?
We have all heard of Bingo and how popular it is all over the world. Bingo halls have been around for ages and are enjoyed by all ages, as are the ever-popular casino slot machines we all know and love. But in 1996, a New Jersey businessman had the bright idea to combine these two concepts into one game called Slingo. The game was first released on the AOL network and became an instant hit. People found it fairly easy to understand and enjoyable to play.
Slingo Basics
As the name suggests, the Slingo game combines many of the same aspects as the original 75-ball bingo game and some typical features of casino slot games. A typical Slingo game will be played on a 5×5 grid with a slot reel at the bottom of the grid. This is where the number will appear when the reel is spun. The main grid will be a bingo card containing the numbers that need to be matched in order to clear the card of all numbers. The reel is spun, and the game will display a number in the bottom reel, which will be marked off on the card above, much like a real bingo game, but instead of someone calling out the number, you need to spin to get new numbers.
In the beginning, Slingo games were released as free-to-play mini-games at casinos and in some slots, but because of their popularity, it’s now available to play online for real money, just like other video slot games. Slingo has become quite popular amongst both bingo and slot players alike, and both audiences have been captured by this engaging game that has become very popular over time.
Slingo Game Play and Features
When getting started with Slingo, it’s best to keep in mind that at its heart, it’s basically just a bingo game with a Slot game twist added to it. This makes understanding the dynamics much easier.
To get started, just spin the number reel to display a new sequence of numbers at the bottom of the reel. Then you just need to see if any of the newly spun numbers appear anywhere on your card above the reels. The corresponding numbers are then marked off one by one as they appear, and you start clearing your card of numbers. This works exactly the way a normal bingo game would work if someone had to call out the numbers and mark them off on your card.
In addition to the bingo numbers being spun, you can land special bonus symbols that make the game a little more interesting. These symbols can help you along the way or even produce some instant cash prizes.
In a classic Slingo game, you can get any of the following bonus symbols:
- A Joker symbol – is used as a wild card, and you can tick off any number on the same column that the joker appears on
- A Super Joker – can be used to tick off any number on the bingo card above.
- A Coin Symbol wins can win instant cash prizes.
- A free spin symbol – awards free spins
- Three or more jokers – Wins instant cash prizes.
When placing your stake, you will receive a certain amount of spins on the reel, usually 10, to create a Slingo (completed lines). You will also encounter opportunities along the way to win free spins, and you can purchase additional spins once your initial 10 spins run out.
Other than the classic versions of Slingo that closely resemble those of bingo, there are some interesting variants online that make for some engaging and fun game play, such as Slingo Shark Week or Slingo Starburst.
Conclusion
Slingo remains an online sensation, and today you can enjoy these popular games with fascinating themes from some of the best online Slingo sites on the internet.
It is a fascinating hybrid game of an online slot and a bingo game. It’s truly the best of both worlds and offers other extra elements like special symbols, bonus rounds and free spins, and a diverse range of themes. Whatever your thoughts on slots or bingo, it is worth trying out Slingo if you are a fan of either genre, as the combination of these two games brings a whole new dimension to gambling games.
