Brief History Of Bingo

As online bingo sites continue to garner plenty of attention across the planet, gamers of every type are heading to the internet to enjoy their favourite pastime.

From speed bingo to the classical version of the game, players are enjoying every possible type of this most beloved game. As a result of this boom, more and more people are wondering about the origins of the game. Sure, many of us know that bingo was played in the sixties, perhaps even earlier, but before that?

In this article, we will look to provide a brief history of bingo that answers some of your most pressing questions about the heritage of this beloved game! From its earliest form to the modern-day, we will cover it all in a quickfire summary. For a more extensive history of the game, check out this detailed guide from Bingosites.com.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at this brief history of bingo, beginning with the very first recorded form of bingo ever to be played.

Bingo’s earliest form: Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia

Picture yourself in 16th century Italy, an exciting time in which huge strides forward were being made in everything from the arts to gastronomy to exploration. Only natural, then, that Italians invented a wonderful game named Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia. Sound a little familiar? It should! This game is often cited as the first version of the national lotteries that so many of us continue to play today!

Basically, the idea of Lo Giuoco (The Game) was that players were each presented with a group of digits, every player’s selection different and randomly selected. After a random draw of the numbers, the player/s who matched would receive a handsome cash prize! Of course, this is very similar to our modern lotteries but also to our beloved bingo!

Bingo in the Modern Age

After being enjoyed by nobility in France in the 17th and 18th centuries, the game passed into obscurity. Then, in the 1920s, American businessman Edwin S. Lowe saw a game named beano being enjoyed at a country fair. Like being, players won by getting a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line on a sheet which was marked each time a new number was called out. They called it beano because the numbers were marked on beans rather than bingo balls!

Soon Lowe launched a version of the game himself and it became a sensation. By the 1960s bingo spread to the UK where it became a hugely popular pastime. Using 90 balls rather than the 75 used in the US, British bingo games were longer and players loved using the time to have a few drinks and socialise with their pals!

Contemporary Online Bingo Sites

Nowadays, most bingo lovers head to online bingo sites to enjoy the thrills of this amazing game. Offering some huge wins, new online bingo sites have provided serious competition to bingo halls with convenience and fun!

Clearly, our brief history of bingo merely scratches the surface of this complex and beloved game. As online bingo sites boom, who knows what the future holds for this amazing pastime!