Slingo is an online single and multi-player game that combines elements of slots and bingo (the name is a portmanteau of the two games). The game was created by New Jersey real estate developer, Sal Falciglia Sr. in 1994, who also founded the company Slingo, Inc. to create and market games based on the Slingo theme. In July 2013, RealNetworks acquired Slingo for $15.6 million, and in July 2015 RealNetworks announced that it would sell Slingo to London-based gaming company Gaming Realms. Slingo has since become popular in the UK online gambling industry, with many sites now hosting the game, including its various iterations of which there are currently 12. These are known collectively and individually as ‘Slingo Originals’ and were developed by Gaming Realms’ development and publishing branch of the same name. Both the games and brand have enjoyed commercial success, and have been praised for their playability and originality.

General Gameplay

The player receives a 5x5 bingo card (sometimes called "The Matrix"). He/she then has up to 20 spins to spin the 5 reels slot and match the number on the reels that correspond to their card. Reel 1 has numbers between 115, Reel 2 has numbers between 1630, Reel 3 has numbers between 3145, Reel 4 has numbers between 4660, and Reel 5 has numbers between 6175. During the game, other special icons may show up on the reels below the card. Jokers are wild, and can be used to mark off any number in the column in which it appears. There is also a green Super Joker, which can be placed anywhere on the board. (When it appears, and the Super Joker must be played first, before any other numbers.) Devils also occasionally appear during the course of the game. If a Devil appears in place of a number, the player's score is cut in half. Frequently though, a Cherub may appear and chase the Devil away, shooting it with an arrow before he can take away your points. Gold Coins will add extra points to your score, and Free Spins add into your Free Spins counter (you can have up to 4 Free Spins at a time). The last four spins of the game (17, 18, 19, and 20) must be bought using points. A player may use accumulated free spins in place of the fee for any of the spins. In some versions, there is also a time limit. If a player does not take their spin within a time limit, they lose that spin. If a player does not mark off all possible numbers or Jokers within the time limit, those are considered lost. The game is over when the player uses up all 20 spins, achieves a Full Card, has insufficient points to play the Final Spins, or decides to cash out from spin 1720 (if that option available). At the end of the game, the winner is the player who has the most points.

Spinoffs and ports

Outside of internet gaming, there have been other Slingo products, including versions of the game for PC and cell phones, and as a handheld electronic game (which features no Super Jokers, multiple Joker bonuses or cherubs due to technical limitations). Slingo has also been spun off into Slingo-themed slot machines, and scratch-off lottery tickets. A game show version of Slingo was filmed in The Philippines and Hosted by Joey de Leon on ABC5 in 2007. In 2008, an unsold pilot was produced in the United States, hosted by Michael Burger.

Scoring

Points are earned from Slingo CD-Rom to Slingo Deluxe: NOTE: The triple, quad, and quint Jokers bonus didn't exist in the CD-Rom version. Full card bonus, which earns a bonus proportional to the number of spins used: NOTE: it is impossible to fill a Slingo card in less than 5 spins unless you have increasing spins freezing. Points are deducted for:

Slingo Quest-Latest

Points are earned from Slingo Quest to Slingo Supreme 2: clearing the entire card, which earns a bonus proportional to the number of spins used since Slingo Quest: Points are deducted from Slingo Quest-Slingo Quest: Hawaii: Points are earned since Slingo Supreme:

Power-Ups

Some version of Slingo may offered you a varieties of Power-Ups (such as Daily Challenge), which help you score bigger, help you achieved a Full Card faster, or try to hinder you. Some Power-Ups may appear on the reels, or in the matrix. Here are some of the example:

Millennium and Classic versions

For a while, the multiplayer version of Slingo was only available through AOL. A single-player version aimed at children on slingo.com was the closest members could get to the real thing. However, for the new millennium, Slingo launched a new version with newer graphics than the old game, and it had a resemblance to the graphics of the kid's version of the game. Also, the bonuses for three or more jokers were added into the game, and the Devil and Cherub cartoons were revamped. Another revision was done along with a name change in September 2009 to Slingo Classic. This included another graphics update.

Game modes

Some of the CD-ROM versions of the game had different versions of Slingo with slightly different rules:

Computer versions

There have been some stand alone computer versions of the Slingo game.

Console versions

In December 2008, Slingo appeared on the Nintendo DS with a version of Slingo Quest. This version used the DS's touch screen to duplicate the clicking of a mouse to match numbers. The game was published by Mumbo Jumbo.

Mobile versions

There have been two iterations of Slingo for play on mobile phones.

Casino versions

Slingo has partnered with high-profile casino organizations such as AC Coin & Slot, IGT - International Game Technology, Spielo / Gtech, Planet Bingo, Sunkist Graphics, Gamelogic, and United States Playing Card Company to bring the Slingo game play to the casino floor. Locations Games currently on casino floors include:

Handheld version

The Slingo LCD handheld game was created in partnership with Tiger Electronics in 1998. It plays similarly to the Classic & Millenium versions of Slingo, but it lacks Super Jokers, and multiple Joker bonuses due to technical limitations (there also a version that included Cherub).