Gaming

5 Interesting Facts to Know About Bingo

Bingo is a game that everyone knows something about. You have likely played a few rounds of user friendly bingo, even if you are not a regular gamer. 

Perhaps you watched family members engaging in a competitive game, or there was a bingo tournament at your work to help employees bond and socialize. Bingo has a universal appeal and charm that very few other games can manage.

In spite of its famous nature and worldwide appeal, given bingo is popular in North America, Europe, and Asia, there are still facts about the game you may not know.

Below are the five most interesting facts about bingo that very few people have heard before.

1. Celebrities Love Bingo

Did you know that bingo is a favorite pastime for many celebrities? Famous actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is a huge fan of the game for two reasons. Not only does she love a game of bingo, but she also owes her career to the game! Her father won money during a bingo game, which enabled him to send her to drama school as a child.

The singer Robbie Williams included bingo in the music video for his hit song Feel, showcasing himself heading to his local bingo hall in Stoke, where he played the game with Daryl Hannah. There are other famous bingo lovers, not least the recently passed Queen Elizabeth II.

2. Bingo Was Popularized in New York

The game of bingo, as we know it today, was popularized in New York by a toy salesman. Edwin S Lowe is credited with making this game mainstream, as he discovered it being played at a fair he attended in Georgia in December 1929.

After seeing bingo for the first time and instantly falling in love with the game, Lowe replayed it with his friends. He taught them the rules and watched as they were amazed by the simplicity and enjoyment of bingo. He then created a boxed game titled Beano. 

Eventually, the game went from being called Beano to bingo, allegedly because someone in England yelled “bingo” when she won a game.

3. Bingo is a Daily Routine

Most of the popular card and casino games around the world have a huge base of players. People who love poker likely enjoy a game of Texas Hold’em every now and then. Perhaps the most committed players engage in a game every few days unless they want to make it their profession.

What sets bingo apart from many other games is that around half of the people around the world who consider themselves bingo fans play the game at least once a day. They will play a quick game of bingo, either on their computer or smartphone, as part of their regular routine.

Such a consistent level of participation in bingo games shows that even though it has a perception of only being enjoyed by older players, it is a huge part of the lives of billions of people around the world.

4. The Scots Love It

The United Kingdom is undoubtedly one of the parts of the world with the highest percentage of lovers of the iconic game. Anywhere you go in England, Scotland, or Wales, you are likely to find a bingo hall with players enjoying a game or two.

What you may not know is that even among the bingo-loving UK population, the Scots have a particular fancy for this game. It is a huge phenomenon in Scotland because around one in every five Scottish people plays the game regularly. In comparison, one in 20 people in the South of England plays bingo.

If you happen to be a lover of the game and plan a visit to England, you may want to head over to Scotland to check out their bingo halls!

5. Different Regions Have Different Versions

Even people who have played it for a long time may not be aware that various versions of the game exist. The United States and the UK are two prime examples of these differences.

For instance, a bingo game in the United States will feature a card of 5×5 squares. In contrast, a UK bingo game is played with a card that has three rows and nine columns. 

Another difference between the American and British versions lies in the numbers on the bingo cards. American cards feature numbers from 1 to 75, while bingo in the UK is played with cards that include numbers from 1 to 90.

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