A Historical Look at Bingo

Did you know that Bingo has been around longer than you? Yes, you can ask your grandparents about Bingo and for sure they have something to tell you.

Bingo has been around for many years now; and most believe that it has evolved and improved through the years. Before, the game only permitted men to play and not women. But that was the old days; modern bingo permits both men and women, old and young to play Bingo.

Bingo is known for being a group game or a group activity. As such, bingo has long been a game that everybody can relate to.

Now, let us track the history, where it begun and who are the people responsible for the growth of Bingo.

1530

It was in Italy where the game started. This was the earliest bingo-style and it was called "Lo Giucco del Lotto D'Italia". This game is a form of lottery but, people who want to play this game can only play during Saturdays.

This is the first link between the game and bingo balls, which was known as lottery ball before.

1778

After Italy, the game traveled to France, it carried the name "Le Lotto". This was the days where only wealthy Frenchmen could play this game while women were not allowed to join.

1880

After France, Bingo was introduced in Germany. People in Germany decided to put another version for the game; they made this game productive especially to children. Germans used this game to teach children math problems in schools. Children were taught how to multiply using the game. This game became helpful not only to mathematics but also to spelling and history.

1929

It was December 1929 where a toy salesman from New York discovered this game by shouting the word "Beano". The now famous guy was Edwin S. Lowe; he played this game and improved it as well by taking it to the next level.

1930

Edwin S. Lowe hired Carl Leffler a professor at Columbia University to increase the combinations of numbers on the bingo cards to around 6,000. This is also the year where people shouted the word "Bingo" rather than shouting beano.

1934

Again in America, a priest from Pennsylvania asked Lowe if he could use Bingo to raise funds. This is how the game of bingo became a charitable means to raise funds.

1968

In the UK, the Gaming Act of 1968 was released; this formalized bingo through out the country.

2003

The first online bingo game was launched in the UK.

2005

There are over 3 million bingo players playing online and offline.