Online bingo is massively popular now in the UK, and it’s likely to keep growing in the next few years.

The noble game has come a long way since it was invented in Italy around 500 years ago. For the first 485-ish years, players were stuck with a pen (or quill) and paper (or parchment, probably.) But in 1996, what’s thought to have been the first online version was released – Bingo Zone.

Play Anywhere

Online gaming generally has grown in tandem with online bingo since then, due partly to improvements in internet connectivity, especially wi-fi, and the availability of smartphones and tablets that allow the user to play games almost anywhere. There’s no longer any need to sit at a computer and click away on a mouse – you can play bingo on the bus, or while you have a coffee on the high street.

So let’s have a look at five of the best bingo sites available to UK players.

Five Of The Best

According to data from Loquax, which collects information on the total number of players at various sites every hour, the most popular bingo site right now is Game Village. The site is currently offering a £10 bonus to new players, and runs a “Bingo Radio” station.

New players may want to kick off their online bingo careers at a free site. Freebingo offers prizes such as iPads, teddy bears and M&S Christmas hampers, and like many bingo sites features a chat function.

Bingo.com is a good site for both new players and regulars. New recruits can deposit £10 and get £30 to play with. The site offers Speed Bingo, as well as 75 and 90 ball games, and a Deal Or No Deal themed card. It’s claimed that a minimum of £200,000 is available to win every day at online.bingo.com.

Unusual Themes

If you’re looking for a site with an unusual theme, you could try Braveheart Bingo. It dispenses with the usual lady-friendly design and opts for a Scottish theme. The reason for this is not immediately obvious, but it’s certainly different. The balls are blue and white – naturally – and there’s a 300% welcome bonus.

There are also various bingo games available to Facebook users. Bam Bam Bingo is one of the most popular with around 50,000 monthly users. Players can collect power-ups like Hearts and Clocks; other Facebook bingo games include Super Bingo HD, Wingo Bingo and Lucky Bingo.

That’s just a taste of the variety of online bingo games out there – happy gaming!