Bingo is one of the most popular games all over the world. From its beginning in the streets of Italy, bingo has become the favourite pastime for people in the UK and has resulted in online bingo sites, glamorous bingo halls, and plenty of celebrity fans. The popularity of bingo is not stopping and the introduction of online bingo has made bingo even bigger.
Here at Bingo Scanner, we recognise how entertaining bingo is, and how fun and joy it brings to the players. Plus, now when we have online bingo, the game is even more exciting. Players can enjoy this game from the comfort of their home and jump from one bingo site to another, taking advantage of numerous bonuses and promotions. For that reason, we’ve decided to share a couple of unknown facts about bingo with you. Do you know some of these fun facts?
Bingo doesn’t come from the UK
While many people think that bingo was invented in the UK, the reality is different. In fact, the history of bingo starts in Italy way back in 1530. Then, bingo appeared in the form of a national lottery called “Lo Giuoco Lotto Italia”. From there, bingo was introduced to France in the late 1770s where it was called “Le Lotto”, and was played mostly by the rich Frenchmen. Next in line was Germany, where people started playing bingo in the 1800s. Germans used it as a child’s game for learning numbers, nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. It is not very clear on how bingo came in the UK, but it is known that bingo made its way to Britain through France. It is believed that bingo came in the UK in the 18th century and was widely playing around British towns and cities before moving into other countries. The British people also called this game “Beano” until the name “Bingo” started to expand.
Bingo became very popular in Britain quickly after it was introduced in the country. People started opening bingo halls to play and bingo became a great way for people to socialise and have fun. Every town in the UK had a large bingo hall where drinks were served apart from the game. People were able to meet and catch-up, but they were pretty quiet when the caller announced the winning numbers. Up until 2005, there were over 600 bingo halls in the UK.
Who plays bingo the most?
Believe it or not, about 80% of the world’s bingo players are women. Some of the reasons why do women love bingo so much are because it’s a social game different from other casino games and it allows players to relax and have fun while playing. Moreover, with a busy schedule and lifestyle, women sometimes don’t have enough time to go to bingo halls and play their favourite game. Now, with online bingo, women can play it at any time they want, from the comfort of their home. Another example of why women are more likely to play bingo compared to other games is the fact that they can enjoy bingo and still be in control of their financial options.
The American and British bingo games are different
The 90-ball and 75-ball bingo, known as the British and the American bingo games, are the games that people enjoy the most. UK Bingo or 90-ball bingo is the game that is played in Britain the most. The UK version of bingo uses 90 balls, numbered from one to 90, and the bingo cards are arranged into nine columns and three rows. Each row contains five numbers and four empty spaces. On the other hand, The US bingo game is known as the 75-ball bingo and is a lot more dynamic as there are more patterns that can form winning combinations. The 75-ball bingo is played with numbers from one to 75, placed on a bingo ticket that has five columns which are split into 25 squares filled with 24 numbers. However, not all squares are filled, there are certain variants where the midmost place on the ticket remains empty, i.e. is marked with a star or another symbol.
Celebrities love playing bingo
Almost everyone has played bingo at one time or another, and this also includes celebrities. Yes, there are even some celebrities that love playing bingo as much as you do. Perhaps they aren’t so different from the rest of us! In fact, there are a lot of celebrities who are known to host their own bingo parties and have stakes in some of the bingo halls in the UK. These include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kate Moss, Robbie Williams, Christiano Ronaldo, and even Prince William and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II!
The world’s biggest bingo win
The biggest bingo win ever was the jackpot that was won in December 2012 by John Orchard. John Orchard was a 60-year old man from Lincolnshire, working at the Job Centre at that time. It was a win that shocked the entire online bingo community. One day, Mr Orchard decided to wager just 30p at an online bingo site and became the biggest bingo winner of all time. He won £5.9m and fulfilled his dreams. He started with trading his old car for a new Jaguar, then took his family on a holiday to Center Parcs. In an interview, he said that he cannot believe that he won such a huge prize, which changed his life completely. He immediately quit his job, bought a new house and retired happily.
Start Playing Online Bingo Today
Did you know some of these fun facts about bingo? Do you have some other unknown facts about bingo to share with us? Let us know!
There isn’t a game that is more sociable and fun than bingo. So, if you’re in for an adventure, why not try playing online bingo? At Bingo Scanner, we’ve scanned the most trusted new bingo sites and found special promotions for you.
