Today’s bingo player is younger and more outgoing than you might think

You can tell a lot about a person by the things they choose to do in their free time. There are the adventurous types who seek thrills through adrenaline-rush sports, such as bungee jumping and skydiving, and then you get the introverted bookworms who long for nothing more than to be left undisturbed with only a pile of paperbacks for company.

However, it seems that not every book can be judged by its cover (if you’ll pardon the pun!). A new and interactive infographic from Wink Bingo has revealed that - contrary to what you might have assumed - most online bingo players see themselves as outward-looking extroverts who get their energy from being surrounded by others. While they might be playing a solo game, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t enjoy other people’s company.

Using the Myer-Briggs scale, an online analysis of Wink’s player database provides a glimpse into the different psychological attributes of the typical online bingo player. The research reveals that 54% of Wink’s players consider themselves to be extroverted; compared to 46% who prefer spending time alone. In fact, online bingo can cater to both types, as chat rooms mean you can have as much or as little social interaction as you want during play. 

The Myer-Briggs scale was developed by Katherine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers in the early 1900s and was based on Carl Jung’s viewpoint that there are four principle psychological personality types that people fit into. Many of today’s personality tests have the Myer-Briggs scale as their basis.

The Wink Bingo survey also reveals that almost two-thirds (60%) of the site’s players feel that they are intuitive – taking a broad-stroke picture on life rather than focusing in on specific details. 

What else do we know about today’s bingo players?

The survey provides some insights into the domestic lives of a typical online bingo player as well. More than half – 55.63% - are married or living with a partner and over a third of players (34.73%) are aged 25-34. Three-quarters of Wink’s players are female.

Although bingo has traditionally been viewed as an older person’s hobby, only 12.54% of Wink’s players are aged 55-64. These stats seem to suggest that since bingo haa become available to play online, the age range of participants has widened enormously, making the game a cross-generational pastime.

How and when people play bingo

Online bingo isn’t a game that you need to give your undivided attention to as the software marks any matching numbers on your bingo cards for you. This means you can multi-task while you participate and 55% of the people surveyed say they watch TV at the same time as playing bingo.

Traditionally, bingo hasn't perhaps been viewed as the most exhilarating of gambling games. However, 34% of Wink players say they choose to play the game because they find it exciting. Another 47% found it a good way to unwind - perhaps explaining why 65% of people wait until the evening to play.

While it’s perfectly possible to play bingo on a mobile phone (and 47% of Wink players do), 92% of players play on their laptop or PC. Those who play on a laptop or desktop computer visit three times as many pages in a bingo session than those playing on a mobile device.

The findings in the Wink infographic make interesting reading. As well as telling us who is playing bingo in the UK today, they also let us have a peek into the typical bingo player's psyche and their motivations behind playing the game.

Main image: "Skydiving" (CC BY 2.0) by flawedartist