The perfect combination of your two favourite casino games, it doesn’t get much better than the new kid on the block – Slingo!
That’s right. Slingo Bingo and Slots — the latest in online gaming has grown in popularity since the innovative game was first released. Players can enjoy both the thrill of spinning the reels, and the excitement of marking off the numbers on your grid.
But where did it all begin? And how did Slingo become the hit game it is today?
Read on to find out more.
The past
It’s believed Slingo was first invented in the mid ‘90s, by entrepreneur and developer Sal Falciglia. It was his vision to combine a Bingo game with a slot machine, and eventually the game was programmed and created to be played on the computer.
Within days of its release online, it became the most popular game on the largest online provider at the time, reaching the number one spot on AOL.
Fast forward a few years to 1999, and Falciglia was introduced to one of the largest slot machine manufacturers in the world, International Gaming Technology (IGT). At the time Dave Lyons was head of Slots, and with his help, the first Slingo slot machine launched in a partnership with Caesar Entertainment and IGT.
Since then, the game of Slingo has gone from strength to strength. In the 2000s, you could find Slingo-branded scratch cards, and AOL wasn’t the only place you could play — other platforms and casino sites were now offering the new and exciting hybrid game!
The present
Nowadays, you can find a huge range of Slingo versions online, with an increasing array of themes. This means you could be tucking into some tasty treats on a candy-themed game one minute, and the next, exploring the realms of ancient Rome.
In simple terms, the game uses a reel or reels — like a traditional slot game — to determine the numbers to mark off on the game’s grid. This is used instead of the ball machine you would find in a standard game of Bingo. So, with Slingo, you truly get the best of both worlds.
The aim of the game is to mark off the numbers on a line to create a slingo, within a certain number of spins. Each slingo you win unlocks a range of bonus features or helps you on your way up a prize ladder — depending on the type of game you play. The ultimate goal is to achieve a full house, and mark off all the numbers on the grid.
Most games also feature Joker and Devil symbols to liven things up. If the Joker lands on the reel, it acts a wild symbol, and can mark off any number in the column above it. However, watch out for the Devil, as this will act as a blocker on the reel, and stops any number being marked off above it.
The future
So, what does the future hold for Slingo? Virtual reality (VR) has been around for a while, but its introduction to the casino scene is still fairly new. Nowadays, you can expect to see some VR machines available at land-based casinos, where you can try your hand at a virtual game of Poker, Blackjack or even a slot machine.
But as VR headsets and equipment become more readily available, you may just be able to walk through the doors of a virtual casino from the comfort of your own home, in the not-so-distant future. And who knows, this may mean we see an ever-expanding range of games available, including a VR version of the hybrid game of Slingo!
