Bingo habits are, as you might have guessed, the habits that we all develop over time as we play online bingo. In a previous article (see Bingo Stereotypes) we categorised players according to how they behaved when playing the game. We will now present another set of categories that are based on the habits we have developed, including the times of day that we play and the sites we choose to visit. Read on and we’re sure you’ll recognise yourself somewhere along the line…

The Stickler
The Stickler is a player who does everything according to a predetermined schedule and rarely varies it. This type of player tends to be loyal to one favourite bingo site and chooses the same kind of game. She plays at the same time each day, buys the same numbers of tickets and may even say the same kind of things in the chat window. If this is you, we suggest that you try to vary things once in a while to keep your interest in online bingo fresh and exciting.

The Bumblebee
The Bumblebee is so called because she likes to buzz from one site to another, from one game to another and from one chat room to another. This effectively makes her the opposite of the Stickler, and the chances are that this player would hate the idea of playing bingo to any kind of schedule. If this is you, consider choosing a chat room at one site that you can visit fairly regularly (don’t worry, you can still visit the others!) as this could help you to make some good friends rather than passing acquaintances.

The Hopper
The hopper is someone who doesn’t deliberately set aside any time to play online bingo, but simply hops on and off the internet whenever she has a spare ten or fifteen minutes. This is a good way to weave the magic of bingo throughout her day, but we would suggest that she also schedules a regular session of at least an hour each week.  This would give her something to look forward to and allow her the luxury of playing bingo for an extended period – not something she is likely to do as a Hopper.

The Smart Casual
The Smart-Casual player is one who plays online bingo on a fairly regular basis but doesn’t feel compelled to play for the sake of it. For her, online bingo is a fun luxury – like a bar of chocolate but far less fattening – and so she plays often enough to be happy about it but not so often that she gets bored or addicted. She may also have Stickler, Bumblebee or Hopper tendencies, but is unlikely to put herself into any of those categories. If this is you, the chances are that you are very happy with your bingo gaming and our advice is to continue enjoying it!

The Addict
The Addict is a player who logs onto her favourite bingo room in the morning and plays all day – and possibly all evening – until her eyes can no longer stay open. Some players might think that this is just healthy enthusiasm, and if such a habit is only maintained for the short term then they could be right. However, if the player participates in bingo all day long for weeks or months at a time, it could lead to her developing a gambling problem. If this is you, we would suggest that you try to curb your bingo activity so that you can also do other things with your life. Go for a walk, watch a soap on TV or simply chat with your friends and family. Bingo will still be waiting for you when you get back!

6th February 2008