In an age when a large proportion of the public is pinching the pennies and financial prudence is the name of the game, many people dream of that unexpected windfall, that extra bonus to put a spring back in their step and an extremely pleasing bulge to their bank balance. For players on the online gaming website Jackpotjoy, such bonuses are both more frequent and of greater value than you might think, as recent jackpot winner Diane can testify.
Thanks to a combination of a clever advertising campaign, innovative website design and vibrantly exciting game play, Jackpotjoy has become one of the sites for online bingo and a host of other games. The adverts, fronted by the epitome of a fun loving, carefree lifestyle, Barbara Windsor, have peppered commercial breaks for months and enticed gamers to the site where, thanks to slick games, attractive bonuses and an inimitable sense of fun, they have stayed.
Boasting a bulging portfolio of over 80 online games, the site is constantly updated. The cleverest string to Jackpotjoy's bow, however, and perhaps its biggest draw, is the hugely successful, popular and innovative live chat feature. With online gaming often stereotyped as a hobby and pastime for the solo player, this function has turned games such as online bingo into an enjoyable and social occasion. It also enables a team of moderators to be instantly contactable should any problems or questions arise.
The bingo games are among the most popular on Jackpotjoy and it was here, on Bingo 75, that Diane claimed an envy-inducing jackpot of £5,529. "It's not really sunk in as of yet," she said. "It has been a great surprise."
Bingo 75 is a modern and exciting twist on the standard number-crossing format. Instead of simply aiming for a line or full house, players are given a variety of patterns, a new one for each game, which must be recreated within their grid in order to claim top prize.
Diane did just that and is now deciding exactly what to spend her winnings on. "I'm finally going to be able to get my teeth fixed which is great", she said. "It is rather expensive but Jackpotjoy has made it happen!"
"I will also get a new laptop as I'm on an old PC. I will now be able to join in with the chat games and quizzes which I love but can't play due to my PC being so very slow!"
Diane's victory is also a lesson in both perseverance and determination. "I won on my last £1.20", she says. "I got seven tickets and thought I might have a chance of winning the full house. Instead, I won the progressive jackpot."
Despite the many different formats, there is far more on offer at Jackpotjoy than just the bingo ventures. Gamers can also immerse themselves in an online casino, roulette, slot games or test their nerve on Deal or No Deal. There is truly something for everyone.