Who Invented Bingo – History of Bingo Balls
A simple question like ‘who invented bingo?’ is enough to take you on a walk through the history of the world and introduce how this fun game is in close relation with most gambling games we know. This time we are only going to introduce the origin of bingo and its evolution until the present day. Read on to learn how this popular game will stay in our lives for future generations.
The history of bingo is interesting and will take us on a worldwide trip. Besides the main question, we will also tell you when did bingo start in the UK, who gave it this catchy name, how the bingo components come together, and more curious information. Below you can see the main section of the article holding the essential information, and at the end, there is an FAQ section with more answers.
Why Everyone Likes Bingo – Reasons for Bingo Game’s Popularity
Before answering the main question, ‘where did bingo originate’, we would like to detour to quickly explain the bingo elements. They all seem like they have nothing in common until we look at the bingo game rules.
By exploring this foundation, we aim to introduce readers who have never played bingo to the main attributes and rules of the game. Here is what you need to know about bingo before you enter the bingo room:
| ⚙️ Bingo Elements | 🧿 Description |
|---|---|
| 📃 Cards/Ticket | The history of bingo cards starts with the invention of the first paper-based games. The ticket is divided into columns and rows; each square holds a digit. The number of squares and the size of the number (up to 90) depends on the type of bingo games. Bingo cards or tickets are sold at the entrance of the bingo room and can be purchased singularly or in bulk (combination). |
| 🎱 Bingo Balls | Before the creation of the colourful plastic bingo balls, the numbers were written on various wood, rock, and bone tokens. As for why bingo only goes to 90 or less in alternative games, it is because of time-saving and convenience. The shortest and fastest bingo games have 30 – 40 balls and last a few minutes, while the longest have 90 balls and last from half an hour to a couple of hours. |
| 🎡 The Cradle | The ‘cradle’ is a mechanical device that spins to mix the bingo balls. It is created to stop at random (or by hand) and release a single ball before spinning again. In the past, the bingo tokens were mixed in spheric barrels, large cups, bags, and anything big to hold them. The electronic random number generator (RNG) has replaced the ‘cradle’ in many gaming rooms. |
| 🟣 Chips or Dabber | When the first bingo games were created, players used to mark their numbers with casino chips, beans, buttons, and other tokens made of various materials. Later, people began using pens until the bingo ‘dabber’, or ‘dauber’, was invented in the 1960s and widely spread during the 1970s. Those special markers leave a huge dot over the entire square to make the win lines visible. |
| 😎 The Caller | The ‘caller’ (aka ‘banker’) is the person who leads the game. He announces the beginning of the bingo game by saying ‘eyes down’, spins the cradle, and announces the numbers. When a winning combination is announced, the caller validates all winning tickets. If you participate in a classic bingo game, you will hear funny phrases after the announced digits. Those nicknames for bingo numbers aim to eliminate number confusion and make the game more fun. |
| 🤔 Playing & Strategies | Playing bingo is simple. Enter a bingo room, buy a card (or many), sit, listen to the caller, and if you have the numbers you hear on your card, mark them. Some players apply Granville’s or Tippett’s bingo strategies. Once you see a winning combination, announce it. |
| 🕞 Game Duration | Bingo games are held in sessions that may last up to 3 ½ hours but usually last for 15-30 minutes. During long sessions, there are 5 or 10-minute intermissions. Depending on the day’s time, you may participate in the ‘Main Session’, ‘Early Session’, ‘Late Session’ or the special draws. |
| 💰 Winning Combinations | Lines are the easiest-to-remember combinations – all numbers on a column, row or diagonal on the grid are marked. Depending on the type of game, there might be one or two lines, Four Corners, Full House (winning combination on all tickets), or Blackout (aka single card Full House when all numbers on a ticket are called). |
| 🥳 Prize Collecting | Shout by yelling ‘Bingo!’, ‘Line’, ‘Yes!’, ‘I’m rich!’, ‘Where are my socks?’ or anything else to draw the caller’s attention to you. No calls are too weird because people say crazy things when happy. An employee or the caller will check the ticket, and you will be free to get your reward. It is strongly recommended to stop the game when a winning combination appears because when the caller says another number, you lose your chance to collect the prize. |
Those are the basic rules and elements of all bingo games. Now that you know what they are, it becomes clear that bingo’s simplicity is the reason for its popularity. Anyone above the legal gambling age can enter the bingo rooms or register at online gambling sites and play. Because this game is so liked by all players, even some of the best roulette sites in the UK offer it.
Getting familiar with this game of chance lights up curiosity sparkles. We will no longer delay; instead, we will move to the tale of bingo origin and how it evolved to the present day.
History of Bingo & Its Evolution Through Time
It is difficult to say who invented bingo because a name pops up whenever the game is altered. In this section of the blog article, we will take you on a tour through the centuries and diverse cultures. Notice how bingo changed and improved until its present-day variation and what remained the same ever since its basic form.
- 🏛️ Ancient World: the earliest history of ancient gambling takes us over 2000 years back to Ancient China. The appearance of the first lotteries and raffles drew people’s attention and caused the games to spread worldwide.
- 🍕 Renaissance Italy is the answer to ‘where bingo originated?’ The Roman gambling history shows that the Ancient Romans liked all wagering games. They altered the lotto and raffles games and preserved them through time. Italy became the birthplace of many inventions during the Renaissance (about the 1530s), including ‘Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia’ (The Clearance of The Lot of Italy). The game’s basic rules applied to all its variations.
- 🕊️ Europe: the new Italian trend spread throughout gaming rooms and casinos in Europe like wildfire. By the 1780s, the French ‘Le Lotto’ was adored by aristocrats and soon spread among the commoners as a national lottery. Germany, however, took a scientific approach and transformed bingo into a children’s game and educational tool, which is still vastly popular today.
- 🦅 USA: this is where the lottery and raffles split paths, and the modern bingo origin began. At this point, you may wonder what bingo was called before 1929. Well, it was known as screeno, keno, and beano (because the numbers on the card were marked with beans). The year the game got its name was 1929, when an excited winner yelled, ‘Bingo!’. Edwin S. Lowe got the idea of selling the game under this name and became the inventor of bingo with 75 balls.
- 👑 United Kingdom: the game ‘Housy Housy’ (aka ‘House’ and ‘Royal Navy Tombola’) was incredibly popular during World War I and the only legal gambling game among the soldiers and navy. After the war, it spread throughout the United Kingdom and its colonies. The history of bingo in the UK shows that the game was legalised in 1968 with the approval of the Betting and Gaming Act. Ever since, the 90-Ball National Bingo Game has brought prizes to countless winners and made players laugh with its inventive bingo numbers ‘ nicknames.
- 🗺️ Worldwide: the bingo history facts show that during the last decades of the 20th century, the game became popular in almost every country worldwide. Canada is number one in the rank of bingo players, but lately, Australia has been rivalling for first place. Many governments and privately owned lotteries also offer forms of bingo games.
Now that you know how bingo was invented it’s time to move to present-day bingo games and their variations. Check the next section to learn where you can play bingo today.
Bingo Today – Differences in Bingo Variations
The history of bingo has never been richer with a diversity of bingo games. We selected examples of the most popular bingo forms and where you can find them. Check the element below and decide where you wish to take your next gaming session:
The history of bingo games is still being written, but you no longer have to wonder who invented it. We are yet to see how future generations will improve the centuries-old game. Stick around because we are yet to tell you what the present-day operators of gambling venues have prepared for future players.
Future of Bingo – Online vs Offline Games Popularity
Every business has its eyes turned towards the digital world and spreading on the endless Internet. Today we all find information online, and even the answers to ‘where did bingo originate’ or ‘who invented the game Bingo’ are found through search generators. That is why there is no wonder that gambling games also transform to be preserved in the digital universe.
This rapid evolution began affecting bingo in 1996 when the first online bingo game was held at the Bingo Zone. The website available to USA players inspired other operators, and a few months later, in Canada, was released the Cyber Bingo by Parlay Entertainment.
The online bingo trend rapidly spread because people wished to enjoy their favourite wagering game in the comfort of their homes. The software developers and operators of gambling venues saw the opportunity and released the known varieties.
Today, all a player needs to do to play online bingo is login into an online site offering this type of game. After choosing a variation of the game, superstitious gamblers ask their preferred god of gambling for support and to start playing.
The development of technology continues, so we are yet to see the future form of bingo. One thing is certain – expanding the iGaming world means better gambling games and more diversity in themes, prizes, and surprises!
Who Invented Bingo FAQ
Who invented bingo? We gave detailed answers to that question in our blog article. Even so, we don’t consider the matters closed. Our readers and many players have questions regarding bingo’s history, which we intend to answer. Check the inquiries’ responses below and follow the links for more details.
Who invented the bingo game?
Many players who like the game inevitably wonder 'who invented bingo'. The bingo game we know today is a result of centuries of improvements of countless casino owners and operators responding to players' demands for entertainment. However, the person who gave the modern 'Bingo' game was Edwin S. Lowe in 1929.
What was the original name of the game bingo?
There have been many pivot points during the evolution of bingo. Depending on the country and the age, the game has been called lotto, keno, beano, and more. One of the major events in the history of bingo is when an excited player yelled 'Bingo!' instead of 'Beano!', thus creating the game's modern name.
How many numbers does bingo have?
To answer that, we need to know where did bingo originate? Depending on the country, the game's rules changed; therefore, the number of balls also varied. The most popular bingo games today are the 90-ball and 75-ball bingo games, also known as UK Bingo and American Bingo, but there are many other forms.
Can I play bingo online?
Since the early days of bingo origin, the game was held at land-based wagering venues, casinos, parlours, and every other place large enough to hold all players and bingo equipment. Today, we can play bingo at top online bingo sites and see how providers and operators shape the bingo games' future.
What is a bingo dauber?
When researching the bingo history facts, we encounter curious details about the elements of the game. For example, the marker leaving a huge dot over the number is called dabber, dauber, and even bingo marker. Despite the bingo games variety, the dabber is extremely useful when playing on paper tickets.
How to mark the bingo numbers on your card?
The history of bingo shows that people used various casino chips, tokens, and small items like beans, buttons, coins, pebbles, and more. Pens and pencils were also used for a long time, but today the best option is the dauber (dabber). This is part of the interesting bingo information we prepared for our readers.
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