How Bingo stood the test of time
There’s no doubt you’re familiar with Bingo, but did you know that the game has been around for hundreds of years? To be exact, the game of Bingo is said to have originated in Italy in the 1500s, where it was known as “Il Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia”.
In the modern day, Bingo is known and loved worldwide, and can be played in Bingo halls as well as at many online casinos, becoming more accessible and popular than ever before. So, join us as we take a whistle-stop tour down memory lane to see how Bingo has stood the test of time.
A brief history
Once Il Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia gained popularity in the 1500s, the game travelled to France in the late 1700s where it evolved into “Le Lotto”. Le Lotto featured 27 squares, laid out in three rows and nine columns, and involved numbers one through to 90. At this time, the game was traditionally played by wealthy Frenchmen and Aristocrats. In the 19th century the game gained traction in Germany, before landing on North American shores in the 1920s where it became known as Beano.
Beano was enjoyed by many at carnivals and fairgrounds, where players’ enthusiasm for the idea helped the game to spread across the globe. By the 1940s, the game’s name had evolved to Bingo and it was being played just about everywhere.
Bingo in the modern day
In the modern day, over 3 million Britons play Bingo in halls, and more than 100 million play Bingo at an online casino. If this doesn’t show the scale of the game’s popularity, we’re not sure what does! So, whether you decide to play Bingo at Paddy Power, for example, or at a land-based Bingo hall, it’s clear that wherever you play – it’s the place to be!
Online Bingo allows you to join in the fun from wherever you are, at any time you’d like! Many games are hosted in live rooms, and others with a trusty random number generator (RNG) calling out and generating random numbers for you to cross off of the tickets you’ve purchased. There are themed games, such as Rainbow Riches Bingo, and interactive gameplay that’s designed to give you an authentic Bingo hall experience.
A look to the future
Now we know where Bingo came from and how you can play, we’re left with the question: what’s next? Both land-based Bingo halls and online casinos have taken the classic game and helped it to evolve for generations to enjoy, and as technology continues to advance, live Bingo gameplay could become more accessible and even more interactive. In fact, some live casino games have even started introducing virtual reality (VR) gameplay, so you can really step into the online casino.
Perhaps online Bingo could have the same makeover? Just imagine being able to put on a headset and stand in your living room with what looks like a real Bingo card in front of you. You might even be able to hold a dauber and cross off the numbers yourself. How amazing would that be? Only time will tell.
