On June 27, take yourself back in time to a day sometime in the 1940s: the bingo hall was filled with all sorts of people, the chatter was at times intense, then followed by sudden silence as everyone listened for the call of the number. Would it be Doctor’s Orders or Dirty Gertie? Would this be the winning number that would have someone shout “BINGO!” and walk away with the prize?
This was the bingo of the 30s and 40s, which, at its height, was played by thousands across the US and the UK every week. Bingo almost died out in the late 1990s. Yet, it has taken off in a whole new way thanks to the advent of the internet and digital gaming platforms. Online bingo has become one of the more popular ways to play the game, while a live version known as drag bingo has become all the rage.
With all this history behind it, you may be wondering, “Is Bingo Day real?” The answer to that question is yes! This month sees the celebration of all things bingo, with National Bingo Day celebrated on June 27 in the US and UK. To commemorate the day, we’ll be taking a look at the game’s history while also exploring its present-day iterations. Join us on a journey through the life of what has become a fun and engaging pastime for old and young alike.
The origins of bingo
It is thought that bingo originated in 1530 in Italy, where the game was called “Il Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia.” From there, it migrated to France during the late 1700s, where it became known as Le Lotto. Not big players of the bingo game itself, the Germans saw another use for it: to develop the arithmetic abilities of their youngsters. They tapped into people’s competitive nature and used it to help their youth learn and apply numbers and multiplication. It is believed that bingo, in some shape or form, eventually made it over the English Channel in the 1800s, although at the time it was more commonly known as Housey-Housey.
It eventually found its way over the Atlantic ocean to America. It was first known as Beano in the US, as players used beans to mark the numbers. But an over-excited winner’s slip of the tongue saw the game name morph into bingo and we’ve never looked back. Bingo was first played in the US in the 1930s – 24 numbered squares arranged in a 5×5 grid with the free space in the middle that gave everybody a chance to win.
While many players believed it was all down to the luck of the draw, there were those who believed that some superstitious actions could help them win. Even now, people who play often have some interesting rituals they believe will help them win. These include believing that the number 13 is unlucky and that having a friend sit in the same seat will bring them luck.
You can discover more about the history of this exciting game in our blog, Uncovering the History of Bingo.
The bingo of today
But enough about the past. What about the game today? While there are over 50,000 bingo halls and 60 million bingo players in the US, there is the same amount, if not more, of players yelling “Bingo!” online. In the UK, after a significant drop to just 1.2 million bingo players across the country, online bingo games have seen this number more than double as more people take advantage of the accessibility that digital platforms provide.
Interestingly, while bingo might be seen as an older person’s game, new data has revealed that 28% of online bingo players are in the 25–34 age bracket. One of the reasons given is that mobile accessibility – a facet that gaming companies have capitalized on in a big way – drives this demographic.
Online bingo games consist of three different formats: 75-ball bingo, 80-ball bingo and 90-ball bingo games. The main difference between the three is the arrangement of the numbers on the digital card and the prize money at the end of the game. In the 90-ball bingo game, the numbers are arranged in a 3×9 grid, with numbers ranging from 1 to 90, while the rest of the squares are blanks. 75-ball bingo does not have a free square; fewer numbers on the grid mean players can purchase more cards and ultimately have more fun. What better way to celebrate National Bingo Day than with a game?
Bingo formats
If you do want to play, there are many twists on the classic bingo formula, each with its own exciting gameplay variations.
Lucky 7
You need to win all the spaces in the top row, as well as a diagonal row from the upper right to the lower left corner.
Arrow
Filling the middle row and two mini-diagonals to form the shape of an arrow, this variant includes a total of nine squares.
4 Corners
One of the quicker formats, you simply have to be the first to win all four corners.
Satellite
Fill nine inner squares plus the four corners, totaling 13 spaces that need to be filled.
Blackout
This requires a player to cover every square on the card. You’ll be sure of a tense finale in any game!
Tips on how to play bingo
While you can’t control the roll of a digital basket or glance at your neighbor’s card to see how they’re doing, there are some tips you can use when playing online to put the odds in your favor. Here are some of our top tips on how to play bingo online.
- First off, find the digital bingo hall that suits you. Many digital platforms host chat rooms where you can get to know the players and the game.
- Check the rules of the house. As with onsite games, each online bingo hall has different rules. Make sure you know and abide by them.
- Once you’ve found the hall that suits you, buy your tickets – the more tickets you buy, the more chances you have of winning.
- Keep a watch on the countdown so you don’t miss the start of the game.
- If you’re prone to losing concentration, use an automatic marking system. If you prefer to go old school, you can mark the called numbers yourself. Most online bingo sites clearly show which numbers have been drawn and which ones haven’t. If you’re manually marking numbers, this is a great help.
Check out our guides for more information on how to play 75-ball bingo and 90-ball bingo.
A few bingo fun facts
- Here are a few fun facts about your favorite game for you to enjoy.
- Four out of five online bingo players are between the ages of 35 and 64.
- Beans were originally used to mark off numbers on a bingo card.
- US and UK players use different bingo cards.
- The Guinness World Records has the largest single online bingo game at 493,824 people and was hosted by Coca-Cola Japan in 2010.
- The Guinness World Records has the largest single in-person bingo game at 70,080 people and was hosted by Almacenes Exito S.A. in Bogotá, Colombia, in December 2006.
Celebrate National Bingo Day with us
Join the millions of bingo players around the world this June 27 and register with us for some of the world’s best bingo games brought to you by Borgata Online. You’ll be able to enjoy the best bingo software, customized gameplay and, of course, be able to play where and when you want. What better way to enjoy bingo than at your own convenience? And if you love bingo, you may love these exciting games as well.