Bingo is a popular number game for individuals of all ages. Over the years, there have been several tweaks to the bingo machine. However, the main reason the game remained a timeless, sought-after classic is the same.
Often, players confuse bingo terms with lotto, and this is not far from the truth. The bingo machine has a long, rich history. It shares a striking semblance with an Italian classic game called ‘Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia,’ which dates back to the 1530s.
Our focus in today’s casino news is defining the history of the bingo machine, accurately. We will go through the details of its invention and its evolution.
The Bingo Machine and the History of the Bingo Game
Bingo is as old as the Face Up Pai Gow game. It dates back over 500 years but has not always been called “bingo.”
While tracing the origin of bingo, the 16th-century Italian game, “Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia,” keeps surfacing. The name means ‘The Lotto Game of Italy’ or ‘Italian Lotto.’ Bingo shares similar traits with this game. Its gameplay was relatively straightforward. Players randomly drew numbers from a container, hoping to match the winning figures that would be called.
A century later, in the 1780s, the “Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia” traveled across borders. The French gambling scene called it ‘Le Lotto’ when it arrived. Without wasting time, it gained popularity among aristocrats. Later, the Germans had a different approach to the game, taking a scientific perspective toward Le Lotto. Educators incorporated it into children’s number, logic, and spelling skills.
In the 1880s, Britain introduced the game to its domain with a different name, “Bingo Lingo.” This name popularized the game. It became famous for casual entertainment. Diverse incentives, including cash-expensive appliances, were given to winners. However, as World War I approached, the game’s name changed to ‘Housey-Housey’ among British soldiers in the 1910s.
In the 1920s, the game quickly reached the US and was renamed “Beano” in Atlanta, Georgia. However, the name “Beano” only stayed for a while. Ed Lowe, a salesman from New York City, encountered Beano and renamed it. He introduced it to the gambling scene as Bingo on his way home in 1929.