Best of Boston

1999 Best Time Sink

Gamesville (www.gamesville.com)

Gamesville’s tag line is “Wasting your time since 1996,” a counter on the front page tallies the total number of minutes wasted on the site. The lure? You can play bingo, poker, and trivia, or guess the results of events like the Academy Awards. Cash prizes turn casual visitors into gamesville addicts. For protection against snoopy bosses, there’s also a “panic button” that will instantly cover your gaming screen with a serious-looking business news page.