How Slingo Has Harnessed The Power of Big Slots To Grow Its Audience

Slingo is one of the great success stories of the online gambling world in recent years. The game’s phenomenal growth in the 2020s has been spurred on the development of versions of the game that incorporate some of the biggest slot brands on the planet.

In this article we discuss the enduring popularity of the game and explain how new titles like Slingo Starburst have helped build the Slingo fanbase.

Slingo’s Evolution From Social Media Phenomenon To Casino Game

The Slingo story starts way back when the game was created in the US in the early 1990s as a hybrid of slots and bingo. It may have been built with casino floors in mind but success eventually came as a free play online social media phenomenon that lasted two decades with millions of players on AOL and Facebook.

Slingo’s evolution into a real money game came later when the IP was picked up by London-based mobile software developer, Gaming Realms, in 2015.

Since then, the company has created more than 40 versions of Slingo with cash prizes and made them available to a growing audience of players via online casino, bingo and Slingo sites in the UK, Europe, the US and Canada. This has been through by using both their in-house team and external partnerhips.

Gaming Realm’s growth has been well-reported on this year and looks set to continue as more new game formats are developed in their London studio and more partnerships with casino operators take Slingo to an ever-wider audience.

The Broad Appeal of Slingo – Why It Is So Successful

Slingo’s popularity has foundations in its broad appeal. The game mixes elements of bingo and slots and consequently appeals to both bingo and casino audiences.

At the start of the game players are given a bingo-style 5×5 card with numbers displayed in each position. They are then given 10 spins of a 5×1 reel at the foot of the card. After each spin, where numbers that land match those on the card, they are crossed off. Just like in bingo. When a line of numbers is completed, it’s called a Slingo. The more Slingos scored, the bigger the prize that is won.

Like all the best gambling games it is simple and easy to understand. Crucially, like slots, winning is all down to luck. The game takes longer to play out than the spin of a slot, but for those with patience, the rewards can be big on some Slingo games.

Slingo, Big Name Slots And Why That Means More Players

Whilst the first real money Slingo games were originals, like Slingo Riches and Slingo XXXtreme, the more recent trend has been for Gaming Realms to use the power of big slot names to give further reach to the Slingo name.

Slingo had been hitched to big entertainment brands in the UK before, like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Deal or No Deal and Britain’s Got Talent. But more recently it is being coupled with some of the most popular and ground-breaking slot titles of all time. Names like Starburst, Rainbow Riches, Cleopatra, Money Train and Sweet Bonanza. The result has been to raise its profile and bring many new players into the Slingo fold.

Which Games Have Done Most To Develop the Slingo Brand?

These are three of the highest profile Slingo-slots combinations to bring success so far.

Slingo Starburst

One of the first Slingo games to hook up with a big slot name was Slingo Starburst. Of course, NetEnt’s famous Starburst slot is one of the most popular of all time. It’s mid-range volatility, eye-catching design and locking reels have made it a mainstay of the ‘popular’ categories at every UK casino.

The Slingo version simple hitches free plays on Starburst slot to the Slingo game. The more Slingos you score, the more free spins you get. Players can win up to 1,500x their stake and Slingos partnership with Starburst clearly opens up the game to an audience of players who may not have heard of it before.

Slingo Rainbow Riches

In the UK at least, Barcrest’s Rainbow Riches is one of the most iconic slots brands of all time and offers an excellent user experience. It’s success goes way back to before the internet when it was popular as a fruit-machine game in pubs and clubs across the country. The Slingo version of the game cleverly triggers one of the famous Rainbow Riches bonus rounds when a player lands 5 or more Slingos. The features include the famous Road To Riches bonus where a spin of the wheel moves the player along the road collecting prizes as they move forward each space.

Slingo Cleopatra

IGT’s Cleopatra slot was made famous on Vegas casinos floors before it became an online success. Matching it up with Slingo means players can enjoy the Cleopatra slot if they score more than four Slingos in a game. The more Slingos achieved, the more free spins are awarded on Cleopatra slot. The iconic slot has 5 reels and 20 paylines and features a top win of 3,740x here and comes with Wilds, Super Wilds and the chance to trigger more free spins.

More Slingo Games With Classic Slots Expected in the Future

The future looks bright for Slingo with more games featuring classic slots expected in the future. Earlier this year Gaming Realms also announced a ‘Tetris’ version of Slingo, adapting the famous mobile game to fit with the Slingo format. And in May 2023, Gaming Realms announced a partnership with gaming giant, Entain, to build a multiplayer format called Slingo Bingo.

It’s clear that fans of Slingo, whether new to the party, or long-time players, can look forward to enjoying new versions of their favourite game long into the future.

The post How Slingo Has Harnessed The Power of Big Slots To Grow Its Audience appeared first on iGaming.org.