Lottery-style games have been around for centuries. From local raffles to bingo nights, they brought neighbors together in shared anticipation. These games aren’t just about winning prizes; they’re also about community and social connections.
As the industry shifted online, players started losing that sense of community. They’ll mostly play against computers and will be unable to feel the physical presence of other players. For some, it took away a chunk of the excitement that they used to share with other participants.
Today, operators are working to close that gap. They came up with various features that bring that social aspect back into these lottery-style games.
Lottery-Style Games
Lottery is one of the oldest and most popular forms of games. It’s a game of chance, where players will purchase numbered tickets. A person whose ticket numbers matched the drawn number will then win a prize.
Be it offline or online, lottery games are still played by people around the globe. Now, there are multiple lottery-style games that people can enjoy digitally, from the comfort of their own home or during their commute. This can be keno, bingo, lotto, scratch, and many more.
With technological advancement and new trends coming up, operators also tap into new communities and release games like Bitcoin bingo. Bitcoin users can wager their Bitcoins to play bingo alongside other crypto users.
Lottery-style games are now a common collection that online casinos feature in their gaming library. Traditional and crypto casinos like Bitcasino now have diverse real-money game collections, including these lottery-style games to offer.
Yet, the question remains. How do these operators make up for the lack of social aspect that lottery players used to enjoy? In truth, operators know how important this social aspect is for their players. Lottery enthusiasts can now find several new social features that they can use when playing online to gain that sense of community.
Why Social Features are Important for Lottery-Style Games
People who come together to participate in a common activity will create a sense of belonging and unity. Lottery games used to be that activity. They’re simple games where the participants can share their experience and connect based on their anticipation of their winning potential.
There are lottery groups that would usually form amongst friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. They can do regular meetings to discuss strategies and review results. They can then help each other choose the expected winning numbers.
Once one of the members of the group wins, they can become a trusted individual who shares their experience of winning. They can develop traditions or rituals, developing unique ways to choose numbers based on shared experience. There can also be celebrations for the winning party.
Everything strengthens the community bonds and gives all participating members a sense of identity. For participants who may feel disconnected from their local community, this sense of belonging can be valuable. The group sharing a common interest can be the reason for them to schedule regular gatherings. Meanwhile, experiences can help foster new connections and break down social barriers.
However, all the points above can be achieved when the players are participating in a lottery in person. So, how can operators and participants recreate the same experience online?
Going Digital
The effort of building communities doesn’t only happen from the platform operators’ side. Players have also put their own efforts into gaining that social aspect back through various ways and platforms.
Digitalization makes it easier for people to speak up and build forums or communities. People with experience in lottery-style games can build platforms that allow fellow participants to gather and share their thoughts.
There are currently many private group chats sharing screenshots of their gaming experience. They can share methods on how they usually pick their numbers, especially if they’ve won and discovered a good strategy. Experts can also meet to debate and discuss their unique strategies. Then, other players can test during their private session.
Although digitalization may be seen as a barrier where people can’t see others face-to-face, it opens new ways for people to connect. It increases accessibility. It gives new players more ways to join the game and find the right community where they can play and connect with fellow enthusiasts.
The internet makes sharing faster, private, and flexible. Participants can create memes, post their opinions, and exchange strategies with players across the world.
Social Media
Almost everyone who owns a mobile device has a social media account. They can share their thoughts, their hobbies, and connect with others anytime. Some platforms also provide features where people can build communities or forums. Facebook is one of the platforms where people commonly build a forum to discuss strategies and share tips with like-minded users.
This trend is the game-changer in shaping the social aspect of digital lottery-style games. Experts, casual enthusiasts, and beginners can all gather in one forum, generating content and seeking advice.
Users who have credibility would usually have power in influencing how people interact with things, including with lottery-style games. They can endorse platforms that users can trust, or warn them about something that might be riskier to try.
Influencers are the key players in bringing more players into lottery-style game platforms. They encourage followers to partake. Some also create challenges that anyone can participate in, giving a sense of belonging digitally.
Gamification
Gamification is a feature that can be found on many platforms in this era. Even companies have started using gamification to encourage their customers and employees. Lottery-style game operators also use gamification to give the missing social aspect back to their platform users.
Gamification itself is a term referring to a technique where something or someone uses video gaming mechanisms to drive engagement. For example, when a user completes a certain task, they’ll get a reward.
One of the components in gamification that often gives people a sense of community is leaderboards. Most lottery-style game platforms would have a leaderboard showcasing the winner’s name to be seen by other players.
Other than leaderboards, gamification also often includes tournaments. This gives a social feature where participants feel like they’re going against other players more. Younger audiences tend to love this type of gamification, as many of them are often competitive.
Live Chats
To make up for the lack of social interaction, operators take it up a notch by providing live chats throughout their platforms. In these chat rooms, users can communicate with other players. Some chat rooms are available in the game, so players can converse while they’re still choosing their numbers and waiting for the result.
In the case of live lottery-style games, players can even chat with the dealers. As the games come with real-life dealers streaming the games from a physical studio, they can respond to players’ queries in real time. Players can also discuss strategies before they place their wagers with other players. This feature immediately erases the digital barrier.
Winners will get their names displayed while in-game, so they get recognition. Some platforms provide private chat rooms. Users can privately reach out to these winners for some tips or discuss strategies.
Although they won’t be conversing face-to-face, this feature becomes essential for all lottery-style game platforms. It allows players to build community and connect with other players.
They can easily get to know each other and bond over the games they both like to play. Whether it’s for friendly banters or competitive excitement, users have the freedom to build their own connection with others who share the same interests.