The gambling game Plinko has a rich history. Ismail Nugroho decided to understand the phenomenon of its popularity.
History and rules of Plinko gambling at online casinos
In the 80s, various TV shows and quiz shows were at the height of their popularity, offering contestants the chance to compete for cool prizes. One such show was The Price is Right. This show featured various games, and one of the most popular was the Plinko game. It was first shown on television on 3 January 1983.
The game is based on luck and requires skill and strategy on the part of the players. In its classic version on the TV show, people throw a ball from above onto a special board with pegs, and the ball goes down the board, hitting one of the numbered cells at the bottom. Each cell in plinko game has a different value, and players receive a prize corresponding to the cell the ball hits.
The beginning of the story
The history of the game Plinko goes back to ancient times. Already in Ancient Egypt there were primitive tilting games, which aroused interest and pleasure in people. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that watching objects roll down an inclined surface created a certain predictability and surprise at the same time, which made the game exciting.
However, it was a game called Bagatelle that was the immediate predecessor to Plinko. Bagatelle became widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages. This game used boards with nails, on which players launched balls with the aim of hitting the holes. This game was quite simple but was successful in attracting the attention of players.
In the 18th century a simplified version of Bagatelle appeared in America, which was called βPlink-Ballβ. This game was a primitive wooden board with nails and holes. Balls were launched down the sloping board and players tried to hit the holes. Although this version was greatly simplified, it was still the inspiration for the real Plinko.
The idea of using gravity to launch balls across an inclined game board with nails and holes was ingenious in its simplicity. The amusement offered players an unpredictable outcome, exciting and challenging. However, the idea required people capable of bringing it to life.
This is how Plinko came to be, a game that originated from ideas derived from Bagatelle and other primitive games. With the advent of modern technology, Plinko has become more complex and variable, with various modifications allowing you to create unique playing fields and add different elements to increase interest and variety.
Modern version of the game
Over time, Plinko gained immense popularity, after which online casinos started to develop their own versions of this game to provide players with a new experience. In 2019, BGaming released a Plinko slot machine specifically for online casinos, and in 2021, Spribe also introduced their version of the game. Both of these versions have become popular in many online gambling clubs.
There is also a tabletop version of the game, which is a board with pegs hammered into it and numbered cells at the bottom. In this version, players must guess which cell the ball will hit when it is launched from above.
Modern-day Plinko at online casinos offers participants the chance to experience excitement and luck, similar to the versions of the game that were featured on television. It has become popular among gamblers who are looking for new experiences and emotions. The Plinko game represents:Β
- a unique combination of luck;
- the application of strategy;
- exciting gameplay.
The basic rules of the game are quite simple. At the beginning of the game, the player has a ball, which he must release from the top of the playing field at the top of the pyramid-shaped pillar. After release, the ball independently starts moving along the pillar, bouncing off obstacles until it reaches one of the cells at the bottom.
The player has no control over the direction of the ball once it is released. This means that the game is completely based on chance, and the player cannot predict which cell the ball will end up in. This makes the game fun and promotes excitement.
Each cell on the playing field has its own unique value of winning, which is indicated next to it. The higher the value, the higher the probability of hitting the ball in this cell. Usually values are distributed in such a way that cells with higher values are located closer to the centre of the field, and cells with lower values β on the edges.