WASHINGTON — We didn’t see that coming. A new poll surprised the WTOP Web Desk on multiple fronts: It turns out most online gamers are women, and they tend to have more sex.

Not only do 57 percent of women playing games online engage in lovemaking more frequently — compared to 52 percent for women who don’t — but they’re also more social. The Harris Interactive Poll on behalf of GameHouse shows 42 percent of female gamers socialize with family or friends at least once a day, according to a VentureBeat.com report, contrasted against the 31 percent who opt out of World of Warcraft, Modern Warfare 3 and the like.

This life seems to be the key to happiness; 55 percent say they are happy, and exactly half say online games make them feel smarter.

The poll defines the ladies’ virtual pastime as games on their computers, mobile devices or social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, which 86 percent of female e-gamers use.

More than 70 percent who don’t play games online use these sites.

Looking to interact with these women? Just less than two-thirds of them say their preferred time online is between 8 p.m. and midnight.

For a graphic of the poll results, follow this link.

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