RVR Toast

Bingo’s humble origins date back centuries, but it is the latest incarnation of the game that’s causing a real buzz the world over. Online bingo has gone from strength to strength since the first online bingo sited were launched in the late 90’s, and the online game is now so popular that it takes an estimated turnover of over £1 billion each year worldwide.

With so many sites to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start as a beginner player. Many sites offer a free tour of the site and your first play for free. Make use of sites that offer these services so you can try out a few sites without spending a cent until you find one that feels right.

If you’re worried about disreputable sites, check out some of the online bingo forums before you choose a site. The online bingo community is a close knit one, and news of any scams or disreputable sites will spread quickly throughout the forums, allowing you to read about any sites you should avoid.

You’ll find two main kinds of bingo sites. Sites that require you to download their own special software in order to play, and those that allow you to play instantly without any downloads, usually through Flash software. These latter sites make it far easier to get started, although the sites with their own software will often offer more impressive graphics and gameplay.

There are sites where games are free to play, but if you want to play for money, then you will have to set up an online bingo account. This will be linked to your credit card or bank account so that you can transfer funds in order to buy game credits. Make sure the site you choose offers securepay software such as paypal, and look for sites that reward you for paying into your account by offering you free game credits depending on how much you top up your account.

When choosing a site, it’s best to stick with the largest, most popular sites. Larger numbers of players help to boost prize money, and are also an indicator that the site in question must be doing things right. Look for award winning and trusted sites like 32Red, who have a huge number of bingo players, and a strong fan base and player community. Visit the website to play bingo at 32Red.com

Choosing where to place your bet

First up. Well done to the England boys. I know where my money is going next year! 5 – 1 is a good score by anyone’s standard and it’s the first time in my whole life that England have made World Cup Qualification relatively simple. Well done Mr Capello and crew . . . you’ve made the Nation very happy. South Africa here we come.

Anyway, online betting eh? So much choice, where do you start? Well there’s the usual suspects like william hill and Ladbrokes and Paddy power. Or you’ve got those new fangled betting brokers like Betfair where punters bet against eachother with some crazy odds system (which I’ve never worked out).

Myself? I like to bob in to the oldschool bookies every now and again. The type of place my grandfather wiled away his time and money. Honest people trying to make a buck on top of what he’s being paid by the man. The sort of people who graft all day long, have a couple of fag breaks, maybe a sausage butty and then shoot down the bookies to lay down twenty quid and take advantage of a couple of free bet offers.

For me it’s the smell, the characters and that little ‘insert French for I don’t know’ that makes me want to get down to the bookies.

But why would I do that when the online sport betting guide sites are so full of convenience and wallet busting offers. I mean, you can take a £50 deposit and turn it into £100 with some free bet sort of offer. Maybe a match for match bet or something?

I like to bet on all sorts of things. I’ll even admit to having a little flutter on this years’ Big Brother (although I didn’t bet on that blonde girl unfortunately), but it’s the football and the horses that I like. Just the big occasions, Grand National, FA Cup etc. Of course, I could always join my missus and play bingo online.