Bingo is a game that has been enjoyed both in the home and in venues across the world for centuries, but where did it originally begin? This blog is going to give a brief overview of how bingo became as popular as it is to this very day.
For some, this game brings back fond memories of playing with their gran as a youngster or as a family at Christmas time, but it is still extremely popular to this day as a pastime and social hobby. You may be surprised to learn that 3 million Brits play bingo while more than 100 million play across the world, which shows that it is still as prevalent as ever.
Let’s take a look at the history of bingo
According to some versions, bingo began in Italy in the 1500s and was derived from the traditional lottery game “Il Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia.” However, the game soon made a name for itself in France and was coined Le Lotto, later becoming an enjoyable past-time that the French aristocracy engaged in.
It was soon after this period that the game reached Britain and other European countries. While it is an enjoyable past-time in the modern era, in those days, it was in fact used as an educational tool during the 19th century to teach children their times tables, spelling, history, and types of animals.
During the 1920s, the game became popular in North America but was coined ‘Beano’. It was typically played at festivals and carnivals across the country, and rumor has it that toymaker Edwin Lowe stopped off at a carnival in Georgia and became fascinated by the game. Upon arriving home, he began playing the game with his own friends. It was believed that instead of shouting ‘Beano’ after winning a line, someone in his group shouted ‘Bingo,’ and the term stuck.
In 1960, the act of gambling for money during bingo was introduced by Mecca Bingo as part of the Mecca Leisure Group in dancehalls across Britain, many of which are still in operation today.
However, thanks to the growth in technology in recent years, bingo has predominantly moved online to a whole new audience, giving gamers the chance to play from the comfort of their own home. There are hundreds of different bingo sites to choose from on the internet, but it’s all about finding the right platform for you. Most contain various features that make the experience even more entertaining, including chat rooms between players and additional games. Sundae Bingo is one of the most popular online bingo sites. It launched back in 2018 and offers great promotions.
It’s easy to see that bingo has come a long way since its very modest beginnings in Italy and is still a game that many people across the world continue to enjoy, either with their families or with others online, so it’s very much a given that this is a game that is here to stay for future generations.