The online casino industry, valued at 231 billion dollars in 2021, has given rise to many new games. Some games, formerly only enjoyed by a small niche, are now available to millions worldwide.
One of these games is Slingo. Created by games enthusiast and real estate developer, Sal Falciglia in 1994, it combines two old favourites:
- Bingo
- Slots
Falciglia loved both games, and he had the idea to put them together. He used a five-reel slot machine as his base, and the 5-line, 5-column grid used for bingo.
When he introduced the game to his friends and family, they loved it. This gave him the confidence to hire a developer and work on an electronic version.
It has become a regular pastime for many in the UK with sites such as Megaways Casino offering slingo freeplay.
If you play slots or bingo, or especially both, then you’ll thoroughly enjoy playing Slingo.
How do you play Slingo?
One of the great things about Slingo is that it’s so easy to play. This means the fun can start right away.
In the basic version of Slingo, you will see a payline in the left column where you select your bet. The payout table should also be visible.
In the centre is a grid with 25 numbers, which resembles a bingo board. These are the numbers that you need to “cross off” like the normal game.
How you do this is by spinning the reel! When you press ‘Spin’ you will get random numbers, and the ones that match the number board will clear automatically.
You have to score as many points as possible in a set number of spins and watch out for certain symbols. These are:
- Joker – choose a number from a specific column and remove it
- Super Joker – choose any number on the grid to remove
- Coin – instant cash prize
- Devil – these aren’t good as they block your efforts
- Cherub – these only appear with the devil, but will cancel out his action
You can also hit free spins when playing slingo, which is always a bonus.
How do you win at Slingo?
While the primary reason most people play Slingo is because it’s fun, it’s great to collect points and win. How do you make that possible?
The answer is quite easily. You simply need to collect winning points.
First look for the RTP of the game. This is the Return-to-Player and it is shown as a percentage.
Different platforms offer Slingo games, and the higher the RTP, the more players are winning back.
However, a lower RTP sometimes means less people win, but the wins are higher! It depends whether you’re a risk-taker or not!
Winning points in the game is done by completing:
- Columns
- Rows
- Diagonals
Of the numbers on the 5×5 grid. If you complete the entire grid, then you’ll win big.
You can complete fives of numbers either:
- Vertically
- Horizontally
- Diagonally
In a normal game of Slingo, you will complete twelve groups of five to finish the grid.
Slingo is based on luck, so you can’t really approach it like a game of strategy. However you can make some decisions that may help your game play.
When Joker and Super Joker symbols pop up, you can delete numbers in the grid. Your aim here is to select numbers that give you the chance to complete more than one row.
It may seem obvious but whenever you are offered a bonus round play it. This gives you the opportunity to multiply your winnings.
You will be offered additional spins from time to time that you need to pay for. It’s important to make prudent decisions if this happens.
- Are you close to completing a few lines?
- Have you nearly completed the grid?
If you feel like a few more spins could win you the game, then you may want to purchase more.
Bonuses in Slingo
An exciting part of Slingo is the bonuses that you can get while playing the game.
Bonuses you need to be aware of:
- Welcome bonus
Every platform that offers Slingo offers a welcome bonus. They do come with terms and conditions and you need to make a deposit to be eligible.
They can appear in different forms:
- Free spins welcome bonus
This is a specific number of free spins, depending on the online casino’s policy.
- Match-up Offer
This is where the online casino matches the amount you deposit, giving you double your money. You can get a 100% matched bonus on some sites, so if you deposit £50, you have £100 to play with.
- Match-up and Free Spins
If you’re very lucky you’ll find a site that offers both!
- Free money
Some casinos don’t ask you to deposit and give you free money to start playing with. This is one of the best ways to get a feel for a game as it is risk free.
Getting the most out of Slingo
You can play Slingo with more than one casino, especially if you’re a regular player. The key is to get the most out of free plays as you can, so look around for offers.
There are also many varieties of Slingo on the market these days such as:
- Book of Slingo – with an Ancient Egyptian theme
- Slingo Extreme – all the usual game features plus wild symbols, great for playing on a tablet or mobile phone.
- Slingo Bells – A Christmas themed version of the game
In addition to choosing your favourite Slingo games, make sure you are playing on trusted sites such as Megaways.
A good way to know if a site is safe is to check whether it’s registered with the UK Gambling Commission. Also look for the following:
- Speedy withdrawal of funds to your account
- Multiple reliable payment methods
Now you have everything you need for a most enjoyable Slingo experience. Spin that reel and see the numbers come up!