Wink Bingo Add Express Buy Bingo Options
Published On 4th July 2024
It's been just over two years since Broadway Gaming took over a whole bunch of ex-888 brands such as Wink Bingo, Posh Bingo, 888 Ladies and many others. Since then there have been some changes with a few closures, a couple of sales and a few tweaks of the Dragonfish platform. We've seen free rooms close, jackpots removed and not a lot else from what were once top tier bingo sites. Away from the 888 Group of brands we've also seen Broadway Gaming absorb sites from other networks from the old Dragonfish platform or, as in the case of Chit Chat Bingo for example, shift to new platforms. The wheels of progress are turning very slowly it seems but we did get a little bit excited about a new bingo feature that's just launched. Frustratingly it wasn't what we had expected.
The Dragonfish Bingo Ticket Problem
One of the biggest issues with Dragonfish/Broadway Gaming's bingo platform is that you can't pre-buy tickets for future games. You can only buy tickets for the next up and coming game in any particular room. In comparison if you wish to play every game taking place in the Sapphire Room on Jackpotjoy between 10pm and 11pm but don't wish to be online at that time you can pick up tickets in advance. Pre-buy is good for players as they can purchase tickets for selected games, jackpots, specials etc. Whilst it's good for operators because they're not relying on players having to be online at time of purchase. For example you might be a Wednesday Night regular but you have another engagement elsewhere. With one site you can still take part and play your regular sessions but with another you might completely miss the session because you can't pre-buy. Therefore when we saw a new feature called 'Express Buy' in an email from Wink Bingo our first thought was that finally a pre-buy option is in place.
What Is Express Buy
Express Buy is not a pre-buy facility. It doesn't allow you to purchase tickets for all up and coming games on the Broadway Gaming bingo schedule. Instead it simply allows you to quickly purchase tickets for the next game (singular) in selected bingo rooms. If you click on 'Express Buy' a pop-up appears showing the next games that are about to go to eyes down. You can then purchase tickets without having to click through to the respected rooms first. To make life easier for you there are options to bulk buy tickets or you can use the number toggle to select the number of tickets you want to buy. To encourage you to buy more tickets the number default is 24 (although this may be room dependent). It's safe to say that this might not be the greatest bingo platform innovation of all time but is it a sign of something to come?
Express Buy To Pre-Buy
Could it be that developers have been working hard to improve the backend of the old Dragonfish platform and now we're seeing signs of change with an initial test to see if players use the facility? And let's say it is used - then surely if Broadway Gaming/Dragonfish can set up a facility so players can quickly buy tickets for the next game, it doesn't seem unfeasible that some further developments could jump to the next step where players can pre-buy for future games. After all in theory showing an option for Game A in 5 minutes can't be much different for showing an option for Game Z in 5 hours? It'd be good news if pre-buy does get added at some point. But there is of course one minor issue to consider for Wink et al and that's convincing players to start or return to the platform.
Promotions & Better Games
Hands up if you can recall a big bingo promotion at Wink Bingo, 888 Ladies, Costa Bingo, Sing Bingo etc over the last 2, 3 or 4 years! When was the last time you saw a big money jackpot game on the platform? When was the last time you saw a new bingo variant added to the roster? When was the last time you saw something innovative from the platform that made it stand apart from it's competitors? To be fair bingo has slumped in marketing terms in recent times with a lot of operators slamming it on the backburner in favour of slots, but you still see jackpots, new games, the occasional prize draw, free bingo, daily free games, slot promotions, bingo game variants come and go at Bally's, Pragmatic Play, Tombola, MrQ, Playtech etc. We've been hoping for a Dragonfish revival for quite a while now so let's hope that Express Buy, albeit a really uninspiring addition, is the start of a positive change for the platform.
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