Canadians are some of the most prolific bettors in the world, and wagering has been on the rise over recent years. But when it comes to slots and bingo, which do Canadians like most?

Popularity

Canadians love to gamble, to the extent that it's the biggest entertainment sector in the country. It's worth noting that the top dog in Canadian betting is neither slots nor bingo but the lottery. However, more than a fifth (22%) of Canadians who bet do so at casinos, at which slots are the most popular category of games.

It might be counter-intuitive given the reputation of bingo as a slightly old-fashioned game, but the average age of slots players is actually higher than the more evenly spread bingo bettors. Another interesting fact when it comes to slot machines is that women play them slightly more than men. It's probably expected that women are more into bingo, but the fairer sex betting more on slots is another fact contrary to many people's assumptions.

Even back in 2006, it was estimated that 8% of Canadian adults played bingo. However, slots is ahead of that. Whereas 4% of the over 65s play bingo, 9% of the same age category play slots.

Playing Online

One thing that slots and bingo have in common is that both are easier to access than ever before thanks to the growth of online gaming. The relative downside of this embarrassment of riches is that it can take a while to find the finest places to play online. One way to spend more time playing and less time reviewing sites yourself is to consult a list of contenders for the best online casino Canada has to offer, such as those mentioned by Top10Casinos.ca. This saves a bundle of time and sets you on the right path to finding sites that offer a fantastic array of slots, bingo, and other games, with generous promotions and multiple ways to both deposit and withdraw money safely and swiftly.

Bingo Advantages

While overall popularity of slots is greater than that of bingo, which one a given Canadian prefers might very well depend on the type of experience they are after. Both have their own set of perks.

Bingo can, like slots, be played in person or online, and is often seen as a more relaxed and social way of playing. Online games also offer a huge range with new games that feature twists on the format being released all the time. The advantage of playing online is greater convenience, while a greater atmosphere can be enjoyed when playing in person.

The more laid-back and social way of playing is one of the reasons why bingo has more female than male players despite men typically being more likely to gamble than women. Another aspect that is not often considered is that the prizes can be bigger than one might think, with April 2021 seeing a record-breaking $3m bingo prize awarded in Winnipeg.

The Benefits of Slots

Slots today are the biggest draw at casinos, including online establishments, and are more popular in Canada with every age category compared to bingo. While bingo is more social, slots are more convenient for shorter, solo gaming sessions and the nature of the game means you can play when you like and stop when you like.

A relatively recent development that has made slots a little more social, while adding a new promotion for players, is the online slots tournament. These see players compete to try and top a leader board for a particular game in a promotion that is usually free to enter. The top X players then win a variety of prizes, from free cash to free spins and the like.

The popularity of slots means that there's a stunning variety in terms of gameplay mechanics, so you can find a basic game if you like things simple, or intricate mechanics if mini-games are your thing. Similarly, themes vary wildly (from Las Vegas to Ancient Egypt), as do art styles. And, as with online bingo, slots are now designed to function flawlessly on mobile platforms.

Surging Popularity During the Pandemic

While the subject of slots versus bingo is adversarial, it's worth pointing out that Canadians can (and do) like both slots and bingo. It's not a forced choice between mutually exclusive options, and both have been increasing in popularity recently. This is partly due to the organic growth of online betting sites, and partly down to the fact that the pandemic lockdowns disrupted work and sports, whilst giving people huge amounts of free time.

Canadians used this excess of time and absence of typical pastimes like sports to engage in new activities, with online betting on bingo and slots being high up on the list. While the pandemic is hopefully on the way out permanently, many who enjoyed the social aspect of bingo or the variety of slots have continued to play.

Overall, Canadians of all ages do play slots more than bingo, but both gaming categories have been rising in popularity over recent years.