Bingo is one of the most popular games in the world these days. It is simple to play, easy to understand and the best of all, can be accessed whenever you want! Bingo has become an extremely popular pastime among all kinds of people and that too in many different parts of the world as well. Bingo has been a popular game since the late 19th century. However the history of bingo goes back much further than the 19th century.
The origins of bingo have been traced back to Italy. During the period of renaissance, many gamblers took up a game known as Lotto for their entertainment. Lotto started developing and climbed higher up on the society ladder till it became the choice game of the rich and famous. Around the year 1530, the game of Lotto started evolving into what we now know as Bingo. The history of bingo states that it was used as a method of choosing officials for city departments since the winner of the game was based on luck. It was believed that the person who won would have done so because of his destiny.
Bingo has had a long list of names behind it. After enjoying much success and popularity in Italy, it moved towards France where it was readily accepted. As a matter of fact, the game of lotto is still a popular one in France till this day. Nearing the 1800’s, Bingo started evolving further into a card game. This took place in the more developed parts of Europe that were fond of gambling as well. Around this time, the name Lotto was changed to Beano, due to the dried beans that were used as winnings instead of money. The history of bingo does not end here. By the early 20th century, Beano had moved on to America and was hugely popular in the many carnivals held.
It is at this point, that a man name Edward Lowe introduced the word Bingo into the game. He started calling his version of the game Bingo and trademarked it. This was the turning point in the history of bingo. In a matter of two decades, the game had reached peak popularity among various parts of America. More than a thousand games were being played over the week, many of them in churches and social gatherings.
The modern day Bingo is a whole new chapter in the history of bingo. It has evolved into a number of different formats and varieties. From both the traditional forms of the game to newer online versions, Bingo has seen a lot of societies and countries falling to its grip. The diversity of the history of bingo is staggering and keeps growing every day. Online bingo and national bingo shows have become increasingly popular as means of entertainment for all kinds of audiences. Bingo has indeed become a way of life that not only bonds people together but provides hours of non stop fun and excitement for anybody and everybody!
This article was written by Ridhi Rajpal.