History of Bingo: One Aspect of The Game That Has Been Forgotten

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Bingo has been around since the early 1900s and to this day it is played in the same way. Whether you play online bingo or offline, the essential elements of the game remain the same. The only obvious difference seems to relate to the name of the game. But is this the only difference? And is this the aspect of the game that has been forgotten? Keep reading to find out.

Beano!

Did you know that in 1927 in Atlanta the game was called Beano? Back then the game moved around different states as part of carnivals to entertain people. The main reason why the game was called Beano is that it was played by betting beans instead of money. The name of the game only changed to bingo when a player accidentally called out the word Bingo when they won. The name stuck and is used to this day.

Bean-less Bingo

Bingo is no longer played with beans. In fact, it has not been played with beans for quite some time, as players soon released that playing for money is far more exciting. This is also the bingo that we have come to know today.

Today, most people play bingo online. This can be done either on websites or via mobile gaming applications. The accessibility and convenience that online bingo brings have increased the popularity of the game immensely over the last few years.

While there are no changes in how we play the game, the game has without a doubt been modernised (as is the case with most gambling games). One of the main changes that have taken place when bingo moved online is regarding the use of Random Number Generators. If you are familiar with slots, then you probably know what a random number generator is. If you don’t, here is a short explanation. A random number generator creates random number sequences. This is to ensure that the game remains fair, providing all players with an equal chance to win. This prevents any form of cheating.

Bingo Is Based on Maths

While the above facts might be interesting, they are not the aspect of bingo that has been forgotten. The aspect of the game that seems to get lost in all the fun is the fact that bingo is essentially a form of advanced mathematics. Have you ever heard the saying that bingo boosts brainpower? Well, that is true, Bingo has been proven to improve the brain’s problem-solving ability.

When Bingo was first created, there were way too many winners per game. To prevent this from happening, the number of squares on the ticket needed to be increased. To make these changes, Carl Leffler, a teacher at the University of Colombia was roped in.

Leffler created 6000 different bingo cards and the first customers were a Catholic church. This is probably the reason why we most often associate bingo with church halls. In no time at all the popularity of the game increased. It was estimated that 10 000 Americans played bingo every week.

Final Thoughts

Bingo is a very popular gambling game, and for more reasons than just the money. The game’s mathematical nature has been proven to keep the brain sharp, and many players prefer to play the game for these benefits.