What was the origin of bingo?

 Who invented bingo, and how long have they been around?

Brits love bingo since at least the 18th Century. While it's popularity has fluctuated over time, it has kept everyone entertained from soldiers at war to Millennials enjoying a night out with the chance to win cash prizes. Many of the bingo games' traditional calls originated in the 1950s. Modern bingo nicknames and calls are being created all the time.

Bingo's origins

Although there are many different kinds of bingo, the most popular is the one that originated in Italy in the 1500s. The game spread across Europe over the next few hundred years. It was originally called "Il Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia", and it was more similar to the National Lotto that we now know. It was eventually adopted by France, where it was called 'Le Lotto'. Only the elite were allowed to play it.

Bingo is it really called?

It is important to look Stateside in order to trace the roots of the bingo game that we all love and remember. According to legend, Edwin S. Lowe from New York was a toy salesman who traveled from NY to Jacksonville in Georgia for business in 1929. Edwin took some time to walk around the carnivals that were parked in town, and had enough time left to finish his business meeting. There he found a 'Beano stall'. It involved a caller removing numbered balls out of a cigar box and players using dried bean to cover up the numbers written on cards. Players would have to cover a straight line of beans with the beans in order to shout "Beano" for a chance at winning a teddy bear.

Lowe waited till the carnival was over to question the stall owner. The game was his idea after he had played a Germany lottery version while on holiday in Europe. Lowe took the game home to New York to try it with his friends and made his own Beano cards. He was thrilled to see that they were instantly hooked. But in their excitement to win, one shouted out "Bingo" and the game was born. If You've Never Played Online Bingo