Although we often bang on about Foxy Bingo being one of the daddies of online bingo, you may well be surprised to know that there are sites that have been bringing the bingo from way back when. We were amazed to hear that CyberBingo reached the ripe old age of 14 years old recently, and has celebrated by becoming the first ever online bingo site to host more than one-billion games! Since it’s birth all the way back in 1996, the site has apparently given away more than £350,000,000 to some of its 450,000 different players – not bad going eh?! And as the guys from Cyberbingo celebrate their longevity, we couldn’t help but think about how an online bingo site can stay one step ahead of the game, and manage to bring over a decade of online bingo to fans everywhere. Particularly when the online bingo competition has never been hotter, is it possible for today’s newbies to learn a thing or two from the old guard – or could it be celebrations such as CyberBingo’s are in fact a one off?
Well, like most things in online bingo, there are a few ways to look at this. Whilst CyberBingo’s success is no doubt rooted in the site bringing plenty of fantastic gameplay, there is also the argument that they have been around for many years in a not so competitive market. Fast forward to 2010 and the online bingo scene looks very different from 1996 – if you think about it, it looks a world away from 2009 even! In the last year alone, we have had the meteoric rise of free bingo offers thanks to Cheeky Bingo and Costa Bingo, the introduction of some slick contenders in Tasty Bingo, Tea and Bingo and Red Bus Bingo, as well as the huge growth of Foxy Bingo and Wink Bingo to become true online bingo giants.
Whereas 14 years ago, online bingo sites were a novelty and there were few to choose from, now the average online bingo fan expects that little bit more, and has a massive selection of sites to satisfy their online bingo desires. A great range of promos, fantastic deposit offers, a glittering selection of jackpots, community features – there are all manner of options to consider. In this sense, to replicate the success of CyberBingo and manage 14 years of open online bingo doors seems like a tall task, where an online bingo site will have to constantly think on their feet and change to accommodate an army of bingo fans that are increasing in expectation as well as number.
But we hate being doom mongers, and as much as the above sentiments ring true, we like to think of it as more of a challenge for an online bingo provider. Perhaps the secret to CyberBingo’s success also lies in knowing what it is, and sticking to it. Long term online bingo fans are looking for a place to call home, and we think as much as it’s important to stay ahead and up to date with the latest promos and technology, an online bingo site should also know who it is, and who it is for. It’s a tricky balance, but we have a sneaky suspicion that there are plenty of online bingo sites that are more than ready to smash CyberBingo’s record – and we for one cannot wait to see it happen!
