Bingo has been around for nearly 500 years. This game has evolved from being a diversion for the rich, a fund raising game and now, it is a popular gaming endeavor for people from all over the world.
Here are some exciting bingo gaming facts for your information. It will help you understand the game and its evolutions within that nearly 500 years of existence.
1530 – It is the earliest known existence of bingo. During this time, the game we know as bingo is yet a lotterry game. It is then called “Lo Giuoco Code Lotto” or “Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia”. It is played in Italy each Saturday.
1778 – This lottery game expanded its operation to France. It is a game played by the rich and intellectual Frenchmen. They call this game “Le Lotto”.
1880 – The game further expanded as far as Germany. There it is not just a diversion but an educational game. The game is used to teach children math, spelling and reading.
1929 – The game is now called Beano. It is played almost the same as how we play bingo today. In this game, you have numbered cards and you place beans on the numbers that are called. When players win, they will shout “Beano”.
This game is being played in a carnival situated next to Atlanta, Georgia.
It is also at this time that New York salesman, Edwin S. Lowe, learned of the game. As he follow the game being played, he overheard a player shout “Bingo” instead of “Beano”. It is here where he deicded to call the game “Bingo”.
1930 -Lowe brought the game to New York. In his quest to expand the game, he appoints math professor Carl Leffler to assist him in improving the game. Leffler then created more than 6,000 unusual bingo cards. It was probably the reason why it was rumored that Leffler then went insane.
1934 – Becuase of the games popularity, a Catholic Clergy requested Lowe to assist him in using bingo to raise funds for the church. Since then, Bingo has been used by communities and churches in raising funds.
As bingo is played in churches and communities, the game became popular and now, it is played in many bingo halls.
Record has it that during this time, there are about 10,000 bingo games being played each week at the minimum.
1968 -Bingo is fomally recognized in the UK under the betting Act of 1968. It is now recognized and being played in bingo halls.
1986 -By this time, National Bingo games are already taking place in the UK. It still has a lot to grow because it is yet starting to become popular in many areas.
2005 – Bingo is now a mature game with more than 3 million players enjoying the game on bingo halls. This figure is of course much too higher as it is already starting to proliferate online.
Bingo is a game for players of any age and any status. This makes bingo a well loved game anywhere in the world.