Bingo History: Story of the Game Bingo

Almost one hundred years ago, an unlikely group of people came together for a game of chance. It was a raucous evening — the sound of laughter and shouting filled the room. The players were not family or friends, but strangers who had never seen each other before in their lives. One player noticed that the card he pulled looked like a bingo card and called out "bingo!"

The rest is history!

Bingo has become one of America's favorite pastimes!

Do you know how it became so popular? We'll tell you all about it in this article! Join us as we explore the history of this beloved game.

Bingo Background

Background on Bingo

Early Bingo was played by soldiers during the American Civil War. While some of these early players were army officers, most of them were "the rank and file" — soldiers who had been drafted to fight and didn't have the luxury of quitting their service in favor of bingo. During the Civil War, bingo cards were handed out at military camps. People would go from tent to tent, playing bingo with a card that looked like their current location (and sometimes even featured a picture of that location). Sometimes they would win barbs or knives as prizes! People could also trade cards with members of opposing ranks as they marched along.

Bingo in the United States

The first bingo cards were created in 1929, when a man named Josephine Bleone invented them. She made these cards because her husband had died and she needed to support her three children. Josephine hoped that people would buy these bingo cards and play, so that she could make money to live on! Bingo was also played during the Great Depression, as people looked for ways to spend money that wasn't around. In fact, bingo wasn't just played by people — it was also played by animals. At the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, animals had a chance to play bingo with members of the public at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. on weekends! There were even bingo-themed parties at the zoo! Bingo hasn't gone away, though — it's still played in many places today.

Where Does Bingo Come From?

The origin of the word bingo is not clear, but is thought to be derived from the sound it made when you'd pull your card (like a bellowing "BINGO!"). The bingo card also looks like a cross between a checkerboard and a list of prizes! It was also likely used during World War I as this became one of the few activities that allowed men to pass their time. Bingo also entered pop culture at this time because of Bing Crosby's popular songs!

Bingo has been around for over half a century — but it hasn't always been played in so many countries! In fact, it made its first appearance in the U.S. only in 1939! At that time, there were really only two places where bingo was legal: military bases and prisons — although still illegal everywhere else. Although it was most popular in the U.S. at that time, there were some reports of its popularity overseas: France, the Netherlands, and Germany all had citizens who enjoyed the game.

Bingo was originally played with 90 numbers on a card — this would allow players to win with only three numbers per card! This meant that they had a bigger chance to win at every game by playing more cards. As bingo became more and more popular, though, two versions of bingo were created: one with 75 numbers and another with 90 numbers. In the 1960s, some bingo halls in the United States started to use special cards that contained 45 numbers without the cushions — these were called "double-card bingo."

The first bingo hall opened in 1942! Today, there are over 10,000 bingo halls in America. They have brought in over $1 billion each year since 1991. These bingo halls employ over 12,000 people, too! Bingo has even become popular in Latin America and Europe. It is played in countries like Argentina, Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Ireland, Norway, France and many other countries! Nowadays there are also bingo halls on cruise ships — they're a great way to pass the time while you're out at sea.

Bingo Machines

The first bingo machine was invented by Edwin S. Lowe in the 1960s! However, this was a relative failure and the machine was quickly taken off the market. The current bingo machines that we know today were invented by his son Robert B. Lowe. Lowe is also responsible for starting the Bingo Hall Owners Association in 1973 — a group that helps promote bingo halls and keep them running!

Bingo Halls Today

There are thousands of bingo halls in America today. The most popular one is the Great American Bingo Hall in Racine, Wisconsin. It's been running since 1957 and has been visited by more than 15 million people! This is one of the largest bingo halls in America and holds regular tournaments there every weekend. The bingo hall in Conneaut, Ohio is one of the oldest in the U.S. — it started in 1965 and has been running since! Today there are many different types of bingo halls — you can even play bingo online!

There are even bingo competitions today. These competitions are held for a variety of reasons, including to raise funds for charity. World Championship Bingo is an annual bingo fest in Las Vegas that's been running since 1986. It raises money for St.

Conclusion

Bingo is one of America's favorite pastimes!

Do you know how it became so popular? We'll tell you all about it in this article! Join us as we explore the history of this beloved game.

Bingo Background

Background on Bingo

Early Bingo was played by soldiers during the American Civil War. While some of these early players were army officers, most of them were "the rank and file" — soldiers who had been drafted to fight and didn't have the luxury of quitting their service in favor of bingo. During the Civil War, bingo cards were handed out at military camps.