Are Free, Cheap & BOGOF Bingo Games Really Such as Great Deal?

It seems that everywhere we look these days, whether it’s on the high street or online, there are offers being thrust in our faces, screaming ‘sale’, ‘free’, ‘cheap’, or the ever-popular ‘BOGOF’ (Buy One, Get One Free.)

Bargain Bingo or Sneaky Scam?

It’s not that different when it comes to playing online bingo, with the majority of sites offering free and penny games, and BOGOF (and even B1G5F) prices. So, what’s the catch? Is it really such a great deal, or is there some hidden catch? Maybe it’s just a sign of the current economic climate that businesses are desperate to get our trade? OnlineBingoFinder set off on a fact-finding mission to get you some answers and let you make the ultimate decision…

The pros

1. Providing that you know where to look, many sites that offer free games also offer you the chance to win real cash prizes – literally giving you something for nothing. Bargain!
2. BOGOF deals are pretty much what they seem. Stick within your original budget, and if you were expecting to spend £1 per ticket, you’ll now whether you will only need to part with 50p per ticket and save the extra cash, or spend £1 per ticket, and enjoy playing with twice as many.
3. If you shop around and do some research, you can quickly learn which sites offer the best prizes for cheap games. Whilst you may find that a freebie ticket could win you £1, another game costing 2p per ticket might have a jackpot of £10 on offer, meaning it would make more sense to pay 2p rather than choose the freebie option. Do the maths, and you can learn how to work the system to your advantage.
4. Talking of working the system…. Accept upfront that cheap games will always be popular – everyone wants something for nothing after all! Therefore, maximise your chances of winning by playing very early in the morning or very late and night when the rooms will be less busy, and the likelihood of your winning will be increased.
5. Affordable bingo makes the game open to just about anyone. If you’re out of work, off sick, or are in a low-paid job, bargain deals mean that you can get online and play games without ending up massively out of pocket.

The cons

1. Whilst this doesn’t apply to free games, cheap prices and BOGOF deals can encourage you to spend more than you normally would. The ‘better’ the deal (e.g. Buy One, Get Five Free), the more you could potentially be tempted to spend. However, if you make sure that you stick to your original budget, you’ll benefit from the extra tickets.
2. Many cheap and free games offer much smaller prizes than the higher priced ones. Obviously, this makes perfect business sense as the sites can’t really afford to go giving away massive jackpots to players who’ve hardly paid a penny to play. Additionally, you’ll find that some sites don’t offer real-money prizes, but give you BBs (bingo bonus bucks) instead; this ties you into staying at the site in order to use your winnings.
3. Look at some of the terms and conditions at a few of your favourite websites, and you’ll usually find that any winnings made whilst using ‘free’ money cannot be withdrawn as cash and should you choose to make your first deposit, may become null and void as soon as you transfer your cash in (Cozy sites are notorious for this). Alternatively, there may be high play-through requirements, meaning that in order to withdraw any winnings made with ‘free’ money, you’ll need to re-play the amount of bonus cash up to 2x or even more.
4. You’ll find that many sites offering free games have rooms that are only accessible by funded members (i.e. you’ll need to make a deposit to gain entry.) If you’re adamant that you don’t want to part with any cash, make sure you read all the site’s rules in order to avoid disappointment after you sign-up.
5. BOGOFs, cheapies and freebies are understandably popular. Therefore, many of these online bingo rooms will be crammed full of players, which will reduce your chances of winning.

The bigger picture

So, what’s our verdict? Well, whilst we might have listed as many cons as pros, as long as you accept and understand both sides, there’s no reason not to take advantage of free, cheap and BOGOF ticket deals. After all, bingo is meant to be fun, and keeping your costs low and win amounts low, you’re likely to take the game much more lightly than players who are willing to spend hundreds of pounds trying to win a progressive jackpot. Just make sure you don’t go overboard buying more tickets than your budget says you should, and as long as you’re enjoying yourself, go for it!