Online Bingo in Scandinavia

It is the American and UK versions of bingo that have been given the most attention by the entire world. In fact, the 75 ball and 90 ball bingo have appeared side by side in a lot of online bingo sites across continents.

But the U.S. and British versions cannot claim sole dominance of the online bingo market. Several versions of bingo have gained popularity in Scandinavian countries and are starting to gain ground in other parts of Europe and America.

A Little Geography First

Scandinavia is the term given to a peninsula in Northern Europe that contains the countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Because of their proximity, they have shared history and culture. It is in Sweden that we get the Scandinavian contribution to the bingo universe, aptly called Swedish Bingo.

Swedish Bingo

Not surprisingly, bingo is extremely popular in the country of Sweden. What's more interesting is that they have developed their own version of bingo that is a combination of the American and UK versions. The card is based on the five-by-five grid of the American version; hence, the number of balls that could be drawn is 75. However, instead of a free box in the middle of the card, a number already found on the card will be repeated here.

The winning pattern, on the other hand, is based on the 90 ball version of the UK. Swedish bingo has 3 rounds for every game. In the first round, the winning pattern is the card that completes the first row. The next round is handed to the card that completes three rows. Finally, the largest pot is awarded to the card with full marks. To further increase the pot and add dimension to the games, they have also created limits to the numbers that are called in order to have progressive prizes.

Other Bingo Versions Popular in Scandinavia

Scandinavians have a slightly tweaked version of the Swedish bingo called 80-ball bingo. The main change is obviously the inclusion of five additional numbers that slightly increase the length of each round but also reduce the chances of each player. Most alterations of the bingo format exist in online bingo sites that have gained a strong following in the region and beyond.

Deal or No Deal

This game actually plays like the actual game show only without the girls holding the suitcases. You still get offered by a banker with an amount that could be higher or lower than what is contained in the case you are about to open.

Elimination Bingo

This game is the exact opposite of the objective of bingo since you do not want numbers to be marked on your card. The least numbers to appear in the card, the higher the chances that you will stay in the game.

Bingo Industry in Scandinavia

According to recent reports, the bingo industry particularly its online arm has gained an income close to 3 billion Swedish Kronor. That is equivalent to roughly 400 million U.S. dollars. The demographics are actually consistent, with more female than male players. These numbers are expected to grow regardless of economic conditions.