how to play slingo

What Is Slingo and How To Play It?

Are you looking for something new and innovative? Do you love bingo? Have you ever played online slots? Well now players can play a combination of two of the most successful games available online. Here we take a look into the world of Slingo and get some tips on how to play.

What Is Slingo

The name Slingo originates from the combination of two of the most popular casino games; slots and bingo. As the name suggests, this game is a mix of the two games made into one successful and interactive creation for casino players.

Slingo is a relatively new game to the UK. The rights to the game were acquired by Gaming Realms in 2015 who have developed more versions of the game, now known as Slingo Originals. It began like Free Bingo as a play for free game but now Slingo by Gaming Realms is starting to gain a great deal of popularity as a real money game with different options and payout levels.

The game is a cross between 75-ball bingo and a five-reel slot. You play on a 5 x 5 grid that looks like a bingo card, except there are also reels located just underneath it. Only one space on each reel is visible. Rather than having a caller call the numbers, as you do in online bingo, the numbers are given to you by the reels underneath the card. Each spin reveals five numbers or feature symbols, which can then be crossed off if they appear on your card, or influence what you can do on the card. Most real money Slingo games have an automatic daubing feature that will mark them off for you, or highlight the numbers you need to mark so you can see them easily.

How Does Slingo Differ from Bingo & Slots

There are a number of key elements that are different with Slingo that it’s worth being aware of: Firstly there is a lot less reel space available when compared to a typical slot game. Because the slot reel is located at the bottom of the card, you can only see one space on each reel, while you can see three or more on your typical slot. Secondly, Slingo can be single-player like a slot or multiplayer like bingo. This degree of flexibility means you get to choose the Slingo game that best suits you. For example, if you are feeling sociable then you may want to choose to play multiplayer Slingo, with its chat rooms that are similar to those on some of the online bingo sites.

Finally there are symbols on the bingo card. Whilst in bingo you only see numbers on the cards, with Slingo some of the popular slot symbols are also incorporated into the bingo card. So you can see symbols such as gold coins, jokers, free spins, cherubs and more on your bingo card when you play Slingo.

How To Play Slingo

Slingo is a simple game to play where you get a pre-set number of spins on the reels (anything between 10 and 20) and within that time the objective is to gain points by matching up as many numbers or symbols on the reels as possible with those on your card. There is normally a time limit after each spin in which to manually daub your card, so it’s important to pay attention. At the end of your included spins you have the option of purchasing more.

Winners in Slingo are decided on a points-based system so to win the game you need to accumulate the highest number of points. Points are awarded for different actions after a spin, like marking numbers off your card. Lines are worth more points and clearing the entire card will give you a big boost, depending on how many spins it took you. You can also earn points for spinning certain symbols, such as jokers or coins.
If you decide to play solo Slingo, you are given a pre-set score that you have to beat. With the multiplayer versions, you are competing against other players to see who can get the highest score. Slingo has a number of special features like multipliers, powerups and free spins to help you boost your points score.

Slingo Symbols

There are a number of special symbols in a Slingo game and if you land these on the reels, you can collect more points or unlock special features. The main symbols you’re likely to come across include:

  • Coins, which are great because they give you extra points and also trigger free spins.
  • Devils, which aren’t so great because if you land a devil your score is cut in half and you will lose a potential number on your card.
  • Cherubs, which cancel out the devil and shoot him with an arrow.
  • Free Spins which gets you an extra spin on the reels without having to pay.
  • Jokers which are the wild cards of Slingo so you can use a joker to daub any number in the column above.
  • Super Jokers which are basically the same as the joker, but you can use them anywhere on the board.

Slingo Variants

As Slingo has become more and more popular, there are more and more variations being designed so it’s worth checking out new bingo sites for the new Slingo games. They offer intricate storylines, great graphics, high rewards and some are even based on well-known TV shows like Deal or No Deal. It’s a vast category that players enjoy due to its familiarity based on the foundation of bingo. Some other popular games include Slingo Millionaire, Slingo Reveal, Britain’s Got Talent Slingo and Slingo Riches.
These games are usually categorized under ‘Instant Play’ games as they deliver instant access to fun and entertaining games.

Tips for Playing Slingo

Whilst playing Slingo is mostly a game of chance, there are a couple of things you can do to help increase your chances of a good outcome. If you can, save your 3x and 5x multipliers and use them as late in the game as possible when it’s most likely you’ll be completing lines to maximise the number of points you can get with them. Try and make use of powerups, like extra spins and extra time as they can help you collect more points if the variant of Slingo you’re playing offers them. And if you use more than one powerup at a time, make sure the powerups you choose work together as some don’t.

Finally, always read the details or instructions as each version of Slingo is slightly different. It’s worth making sure you understand the different features and powerups before you start to play so you can make use of opportunities to get as many points as possible.

Where Can I Play Slingo Games?

In summary:

Slingo has the ability to entertain unlike any other game with its simplicity, great payouts and action-packed special features. So it’s no surprise that it is becoming one of the most popular casino games around. If you love bingo then chances are that you will love Slingo too. Why not give it a try?