Did you know that Bingo dates back to the 1500s?
It’s one of the most loved games to play, and not just by elderly people! Over three million people in Britain play in Bingo halls and over 100 million play live and online – can you believe that? The game has been popular for so long, and continues to surge in popularity when new versions are created, much like Bingo slot games – creating a whole new world for Bingo lovers!
If you wanted to brush up on your history knowledge, keep on reading to find out where Bingo started, and where it is now.
Il Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia
‘The Italian lotto game’ has been around since the 16th Century in Italy. The game was so popular that it was eventually picked up by the French in the late 1700s. The French version was named ‘Le Lotto’ and was traditionally played by the wealthy and aristocracy. The game featured 27 squares, laid out in three rows and nine columns, with numbers from 1-90 randomly arranged in the boxes.
The American Beano revolution!
By the 1920s, Bingo had made its way to the USA. Here, the game’s name had evolved to ‘Beano’, and players would shout this if they found all numbers in a row.
It’s said that American toymaker, Edwin Lowe, was travelling when he came across a carnival in Georgia, US. Where he came across a crowd of people playing a game called ‘Beano’. The caller was pulling numbered wooden disks out of a cigar box and calling it aloud, while players frantically tried to see if the number appeared on their card. If it was there, they’d place a bean on the number -hence the name ‘Beano’!
When Lowe returned to New York, he made his own version of the game by using a rubber stamp, cardboard and dried beans. However, the name soon turned from Beano to Bingo when Lowe and his friends were playing and calling out that they had won.
By the 1940s people were playing Bingo across the United States, and 20 years later, it found its way to the UK.
Technology’s influence
Nowadays, you don’t need to travel to your local Bingo Hall in order to play your favourite game, it’s all available through the press of a button on your phone, laptop or computer. You can access your favourite games from the comfort of your own home, meaning it’s never been easier to play!
There are even new adaptions to the classic Bingo game we know and love, and you can now even play Bingo slot games – known as Slingo. These games combine Bingo grids and slot reels for new and exciting ways to play!
So, if you’re a big fan of Slots and Bingo, this might just be the perfect game for you!
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Now you have learnt more about the iconic history of the beloved game of Bingo, will you be playing anytime soon?