Meet the average Facebook gamer: A 43-year-old woman who loves FarmVille

When you say the word game, the first thing that usually comes to mind is a trigger-happy dude, using high-powered weapons to mow down Nazis, terrorists, aliens or any other 'It' bad guy of the moment. When it comes to gaming on Facebook, however, the average gamer might not be what you think.

According to a new survey from game publisher PopCap, the person most likely spending time tending virtual farms (and maybe even mowing down rival mafioso in Mafia Wars), is a 43-year-old woman, and she plays several times a day, even though she holds a full-time job (and most likely has children). She's also most likely to be playing FarmVille, Bejeweled Blitz, Texas Hold'em Poker, Cafe World and Mafia Wars, and has likely played an average of six games -- many of which were recommended by friends.

Facebook is her preferred gaming destination of choice. In fact, 83% of those surveyed say they choose to play on Facebook over other social networks. That's not exactly a surprise, though, given the dominance of Facebook and the fact that most social games land on Facebook first.