“By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid only of standing still.”
Benjamin Franklin's quote is one of many which accurately describe the importance for people and businesses to keep evolving.
That point is particularly pertinent where the gambling industry is concerned, with companies in the sector continually searching for ways to improve their offering.
An example of this is the Slingo bingo game, which took the best elements of two icons of the gambling world to form an incredible innovation that is now played by millions of people around the world.
Advancements in technology during the 21st century have undoubtedly played a massive role in transforming how games are made, providing developers with the tools to be far more innovative.
With consumer tastes continuing to change at a rapid rate, it is vital for gambling firms to find clever ways to keep existing customers engaged and attract new ones to their sites.
Many games lend themselves to being blended with others in order to create new variants that betting businesses can leverage to their advantage.
These types of game combinations have become increasingly prevalent over the past few years, so read on as we take a closer look at some of the best ones around.
Slingo
Invented in New Jersey during the 1990s, Slingo is now played by more than 55 million people across the world on scratch lottery tickets, casino slots, mobile, social, and other platforms.
It blends together the quickfire action of 75-Ball Bingo with the unpredictable nature of slot machines to provide players with an exciting gambling experience.
The game is played on a 5×5 grid, with the slot reels situated just below. Players spin the reels of the slot and if a number appears it is crossed off the card.
Slingo operates on a points-based system, with the player who accumulates the highest total at the end of the game winning the prize pot.
Clearing a line on the board, spinning three jokers, and clearing the entire card are amongst the ways that players can collect points.
Using power-ups, multipliers and special protection features can boost your chances of winning jackpots that regularly run into five figures.
Flash Fives
Flash Fives combines bingo and card games to produce a fast-paced activity that has the potential to generate massive cash prizes.
Also known as 52-5 Bingo, Flash Fives is an action-packed game that looks vastly different from traditional types of bingo.
It uses playing cards instead of the typical numbered balls that feature in more traditional 75-Ball and 90-Ball Bingo games.
Each ticket is called a ‘hand', with players dealt five playing cards out of the standard 52-card deck at the start of the game.
If a card is called out by the caller, it is covered by a chip and the first player to complete their hand scoops the prize pot.
Flash Fives games can often be fast and furious, meaning that you are never more than a few minutes away from being able to dive into the heart of the action.
Bingo Roulette
Take one of the most iconic games found in casinos in Las Vegas or Monte Carlo, mix it with a hugely popular social pastime, and what have you got? Bingo Roulette!
Just like in traditional bingo, up to 96 tickets can be bought for a game, each of which includes five different numbers out of 52 that are displayed on the spinning roulette wheel.
The numbers are called randomly on each spin, with the arrow at the top of the wheel pointing to the number which is covered on the card when the wheel stops.
Every number called is covered with a casino chip and the first player to cover all five numbers on a ticket wins the prize pot.
Bingo Roulette rooms also have an immersive chatroom function so that you can interact with your fellow players as the games progress.
With just five numbers needed to scoop the prize, Bingo Roulette is another game where the action simply flies by.
eSports
One of the most exciting crossovers between games and gambling in recent years has come in the unlikely form of the video gaming sector.
Playing video games was once seen as the sole preserve of spotty teenagers in darkened bedrooms, but it has now become a multi-billion-dollar business.
It has also spawned a hugely lucrative professional eSports circuit, where the best exponents of selected games battle for huge prize pots.
This has inevitably attracted interest from leading betting companies, with many well-respected brands now offering odds on eSports leagues and competitions throughout the year.
Games such Counter Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends and Dota 2 have massive worldwide followings and gambling on them has proved to be hugely popular.
With sports games like the FIFA and NBA series also spawning huge interest, the link-up between eSports and gambling appears to be here to stay for the foreseeable future.
H.O.R.S.E.
Mixed poker games are viewed by many professional players to be the ultimate test of an individual's ability to master their craft.
They allow more accomplished players to remove themselves from overpopulated games such as Texas Hold'em and challenge themselves against other highly skilled poker exponents.
H.O.R.S.E is one of the most popular poker combinations you can play, moulding five different elements to truly test a player's aptitude for each variant.
It mixes Hold'em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Stud and Stud Eight or Better, with the variant changing after a pre-determined number of hands or time frame.
H.O.R.S.E first featured as an event at the World Series of Poker in 2002, with John Hennigan winning more than $117,000 from a $2,000 buy-in.
Phil Hellmuth Jr and Scotty Nguyen are other famous players of H.O.R.S.E, highlighting the level of poker ability you need to fully master the game.
