Ever at the forefront of the latest trends, Mancunians have been a driving force behind the growing popularity of online casino gaming.
Traditionally, the city has been home to several physical casinos that have helped to characterise Manchester’s nightlife, including premises in the city centre, on Deansgate and across the wider region. A cursory glance at Google Maps shows that the city itself is home to seven major casinos, including many of the industry’s biggest names.
Those symbols of leisure endure to this day, but the industry at large has broadened to include an incredible selection of online games, offering experienced players and newbies alike the chance to sample the thrill of the casino wherever they are. If you’d like to find out more, check out sbobet.
Manc powered
Macunians have again been at the forefront of this trend. Greater Manchester boasts one of the UK’s most diverse populations, with a significant BAME population, particularly in the city itself, alongside an estimated 100,000 students, many with smartphones in their pockets. This broad cross-section of people within the city and a high concentration of Millenials makes it a great target market for any growing online entertainment sector.
Additionally, the city’s love affair with football means its population likely to already be more engaged than other UK conurbations with leading betting brands. These factors, coupled with its growing population of more than half a million, makes it the perfect target area for online casino operators.
Source: Pexels
Blackjack
A staple of the casino dating back many years, Blackjack combines good fortune with strength of nerves and conviction. The rules are simple and the gameplay is thrilling, making the game a timeless and universal classic.
It’s a game that’s remained popular everywhere, including Manchester, with online casinos adapting it for a more tech-savvy audience. You can now play blackjack online at Betfair Casino against a real dealer, alongside different variations on the standard game, including a Frankie Dettori-branded title.
Blackjack is a game that rewards confidence but can punish cockiness, qualities that us Mancs have by the bucket load.
Roulette
The ultimate casino game of chance, roulette is another game that has stood the test of timeand made the transition online very quickly. Players can enjoy the game with a low stake and stand an outside chance of winning a big prize.
The odds of the ball landing on a single number are long, although it’s also possible to increase your chances of winning by placing multiple bets. Each round of roulette is quick and there’s no long-term strategy required.
Roulette, especially the live variant of the game, which involves streaming a video feed of a real roulette table, also has a connection to the city. Intelligent Gaming, which is a subsidiary of the iGaming company Playtech, is based in the city. The company helps support live roulette, among other aspects of the behind-the-scenes operation of casinos.
Bingo
Not commonly associated with the traditional casino, bingo has been a visible part of Mancunian culture for generations. Bingo halls within the city and beyond have helped bring communities together and provided hours of entertainment.
The game’s transition online has helped the game reach new audiences, with the average bingo player now much younger than in previous years. This makes it the perfect match for Manchester’s student population.
Also aided by the emergence of Bongo’s Bingo, this classic British game has its heritage in the working men’s clubs of the North West and it’s heartening to see it reinvented for the digital age.
It’s clear that online casino engages with audiences globally and Manchester makes up only a tiny part of that. But when you study the games in more detail, it’s easy to see why locals are so drawn to the action.
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A sneak peek at the first pour: Greater Manchester celebrates the return of Boddingtons
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has every reason to drink and jubilate this Friday and toast the perfect excuse for an early dart as the first fresh pours in a new chapter for Boddingtons beer have been sunk.
And by’eck if ain’t still bloody gorgeous.
That’s right, in case you didn’t hear the latest news about ‘Cream of Manchester’, we can now officially and ever-so gladly confirm that Boddingtons Bitter is properly back on draught in the region.
With the iconic cask ale making a glorious return decades on from its glory days in the 1990s, the new and improved Boddies beer is flowing from the taps – just in time for the weekend, no less.
Yes, with local brewery and pub chain J.W. Lees taking over the manufacturing and distribution, leaving the Budweiser Group to take over the licensing, the updated recipe Boddingtons – which clocks in at a 4.0% ABV – is about to be rolled out across the 10 boroughs.
Better yet, with five native pubs having already reinstalled honey yellow and black pumps, and with Lees looking to deliver it to the ale-loving masses across the North West, this could be the biggest Manc comeback since, well, those two lads from Burnage…
Speaking of: we were invited along to Founder’s Hall on Albert Square (formerly Duttons and now home to every one of the brand’s beers, not to mention serving as a tribute to John Lees himself), for a special ceremony to celebrate the inaugural public pints of Boddies being poured.
Let’s just say we were honoured to be part of the grand resurrection.
Obviously, there have been some holdouts hanging onto the classic Mancunian brew, and we certainly had fun trying to track them down over the past couple of years, but we’re just glad we don’t have to do as much work to find one now.
Managing Director of JW Lees, William Lees-Jones, said on the relaunch: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution.
“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddington’s as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.” Well said, sir.
Available from Founder’s Hall, The Black Friar in Salford, Stables Tavern; Sams Chop House, The Circus Tavern, Oxford Road Tap, Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap from today, as well as Corbières and Stockport pubs like The Crown and The White Lion, we can’t wait to see Boddingtons take over the nation.
In the meantime, why not look back at the storied history behind one of our finest exports?
Subway launches make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ across UK
Emily Sergeant
Subway is finally launching its viral make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ at all its restaurants in the UK.
That’s right – you can now walk into any Greater Manchester Subway and order a jacket potato instead of a sandwich, and you get to choose exactly what goes on top of it.
Britain has always been a nation of ‘jacket fanatics’, with almost half of Brits claiming the spud to be a British cultural icon, but according to new research by Subway, it’s been found that nearly a quarter (23%) of us have argued with family and friends over how to prepare or serve one.
So it’s fair to say that, yes, us Brits do love ourselves a jacket potato, and this is why ‘Spudway’ is launching nationwide.
The UK-wide rollout of Spudway comes after it was trailed in select sites earlier this year, and then proved so popular that the trail was extended to include more locations.
Now, those fluffy jacket potatoes are available everywhere.
You can choose topping options like the simple Cheese & Beans or Tuna Mayo, or you can opt for Subway specialities like Meatball Marinara, and Chicken Tikka, but the beauty of Spudaway is it’s all fully customisable.
This means you can pick, quite simply, from whatever you fancy at the protein and salad counters, and finish it with your choice of Subway’s wide selection of signature sauces.
“The nation’s love of Jacket Potatoes is unparalleled,” commented Cathy Goodwin, who is the Interim Director of Culinary & Innovation Subway EMEA.
Subway has finally launched its make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ all across the UK / Credit: Subway
“The enthusiasm we’ve seen on social media and the strong demand from our guests throughout the trial made it clear that Spudway deserved a permanent place on our menu.
“Made with British potatoes, Irish salted butter, a double portion of cheese, and fully customisable with any of our many toppings, Spudway is the perfect freshly-made, high-quality lunch choice.”
Spudway jacket potatoes are freshly baked in-store daily and can be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a meal deal – which includes a spud, drink, plus crisps or a cookie.
The Manc -
8th December 2020 
