The Bingo Saga

Bingo has a rich and wonderful history. We can trace back the history of bingo since 14th century to the simple bean-placing game of the early 1900s. The evolution of UK Bingo from the past to what we have now is also interesting.

Bingo was originally called "Beano" because once a player won, he or she would yell "Beano"! It was usually played at county fairs with a caller drawing numbered discs from a cigar box, and players would mark their cards with beans to mark the numbers that were called out. If you win, just shout “Beano”!

A recorded history of the game of bingo dates back to 14th Century Italy. In 1530, there was an Italian lottery called "Lo Giuocu del Lotto D'Italia" it still exists up to now every Saturday. From Italy, the game travelled to France in the late 1770s, where it was called "Le Lotto", a game played amongst wealthy Frenchmen. Eventually Bingo reached Germany, ironically children there played it for educational purposes. It was mostly for the purpose of helping students learn math, spelling and history.

In 1929 game of bingo finally reached North America. This is the time that the game became popularly known as "Beano." It was first played at a carnival near Atlanta, Georgia. So where did the name "Bingo" came from? By accident, New York toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe renamed it so, after he overheard someone accidentally yell "Bingo!" instead of "Beano!" at a county fair. So, from Beano now it is known as Bingo.

Edwin Lowe together with Carl Leffler then did some changes and developed the game. They expanded the bingo game styles. Edwin hired Carl Leffler, a Columbia University Math professor, to help him increase the number of combinations in bingo cards. They had successfully diversified the game so that by 1930 there were over 6000 different bingo cards!

Bingo became a popular fundraising medium when a Catholic priest from Pennsylvania approached Lowe about using bingo as a means of raising church funds. Because of that it became more popular that by 1934, an estimated 10,000 bingo games were played weekly.

Today, after 70 years the game of bingo is more popular than ever and even transcended to Online Bingo.

Bingo Trivia Galore

Bingo is fun, entertaining and rewarding. Below is a collection of bingo trivia that you will surely like. Read on…

• There is a big chance of winning in bingo, in fact 95% of bingo players have won a game at least once.

• Even young generations enjoy bingo in fact 30% of bingo players are under the age of 35.

• Online bingo players are mostly female. The percentage is roughly 70% female while men comprise the remaining 30%.

• Bingo was originally known as 'beano' because players originally use beans to mark their scores.

• The largest bingo game ever played has 60,000 players!

• Land-based bingo halls employ thousands of people worldwide. You can apply as bingo callers, bingo spotters, bingo cashiers, and bingo operators.

• It only takes 3-6 minutes to finish an average bingo game.

• According to one calculation, there are approximately 552,446,474,061,128,648,601,600,000 (five hundred fifty-two septillion, four hundred forty-six sextillion, four hundred seventy-four quintillion, sixty-one quadrillion, one hundred twenty-eight trillion, six hundred forty-eight billion, six hundred one million, six hundred thousand) possible arrangements of the numbers on a bingo card.

• Bingo contributes largely to charities and social organizations in Europe and North America.

• Bingo is the key source of community fundraising in most counties.

• Bingo received the second highest number of votes to be the national past time of Belgium.

• NFL games’ greatest competition in terms of attendees is bingo.

Bingo Games Around the World

The bingo played around the world has 2 major variation. divided into 2 major games.

1. The variation of bingo played in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.


2. And the bingo typically played in the US and Canada.
   

These Online Bingo games are similar in many ways, but differ slightly in the cards they use and in the calling of numbers.

In the UK, a 90-ball version of bingo is popular. In the US and Canada, most players use a 75-ball version of the game.

Outside the UK, the many nicknames we usually hear for bingo numbers are hardly ever used, especially not some of the nicknames that come from Cockney rhyming slang.

In Australia and New Zealand, bingo is known as “housie”. So, instead of playing at a bingo hall, you can play the game at a housie hall.

But still, some of the UK bingo nicknames have spread to the four corners of the world and can be heard in bingo halls everywhere. All in all, despite the evolution of Bingo, the basic elements have remained the same.

Popularity of Bingo as a Fundraising

Bingo is always the solution if you want to have a fundraising. For more than 70 years Bingo has already helped a thousand beneficiaries and has completed many improvement projects.

From school building improvement to Breast Cancer awareness fundraisers, you'll see different people from all walks of life selling bingo cards to help the fundraising. It is a social gathering enjoyed by everybody, young or old. Aside from the prizes, the main attraction are the Bingo Callers who are making the game more alive with the number nicknames.

Popular celebrity bingo callers include Catherine Zeta-Jones and even Robbie Williams who did it for charity functions.

Bingo's significant role in fundraising and its support of charitable organizations sets it apart from so many other forms of gambling. Each year, millions of dollars are raised by bingo and are contributed to a wide-range of non-profit organizations on behalf of bingo halls.

Want to play Bingo .

Basic Format of Bingo

Every player should have a unique card. Player can buy as many bingo cards he can play. The player can also participate in any bingo patters. To increase your chances of playing, usually players have several cards, since you are already there why not maximize the time and chances by having as many cards.

You can see that each bingo card is marked with a grid that divides it into blocks of number combinations. At the centre is a free space – without any number just a blank space or any words/pictures they like to put. The numbers in the centre of the grid correspond to the letters ‘B’, ‘I’, ‘N’, ‘G’ and ‘O’ at the top of the card.

Before the game starts, a bingo pattern is announced. This is the pattern you need to form by covering called numbers on your card. Random numbers are drawn and called. Whoever forms the pattern first should shout Bingo!

Bingo is a game of chance, so everyone who plays has an equal chance of winning. In playing the game, it is important to be attentive and alert because in all world bingo games, you won’t get a prize if you’re late in calling out “bingo!” If you do shout after the next number has already been called, it’s already too late.

Winning UK Bingo patterns differ from game to game. We have the popular black-out or full house where you all numbers in your card should be marked. Other common combinations are lines, two lines or diagonal.

Patterns in Bingo

Bingo patterns are designated into 3 basic types:

1. The Standard or Static bingo patterns – patterns which are not allowed to be shifted anywhere in the card.


2. The Wild bingo patterns – patterns which are mostly scattered on the card. Although these patterns can be placed anywhere in the card, they still stay in the same place or is static.


3. The Crazy bingo patterns – patterns which are allowed to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by increments of 90 degrees. Winning bingo patterns are matched by 90°, 180° or 270°.
   

Below are examples of popular bingo patterns used:

Proper Bingo Decorum

There are always rules in every game. For regular UK Bingo halls, it is very essential to be silent when the numbers are being picked and called, as well as listening to a winner declaring a “Bingo!”. Showing the proper manners in playing Bingo online is also as important as winning, so take note of the following chat room tips:

1. Since a chat room supervisor is always present to mediate, make sure to always behave when in the chat room. Do not use words that may offend or verbally harass other online players. Be decent.
   

2. Do not impersonate other players by using a false name or endorsing products in the chat room.
   

3. For complaints about other players that you want to inform the site, use their email route which is always available for you.
   

4. Be a good sport. Wish others a good luck for the game or congratulate someone if they won. This might bring good luck for you too.
   

A positive attitude always creates positive results!