The modern bingo card design patent went to Edwin S.

Ward, who most probably took the name from pre-existing slang for marketing reasons.

'A customs officer's term, the triumphal cry employed on a successful search.' But it definitely gained its initial popularity with the first modern version of the game appearing at carnivals and fairs in the 1920s and is attributed to Hugh J. The origins of the modern version of the game and its current name bingo are unclear. The similar Tombola was used in nineteenth-century Germany as an educational tool to teach children multiplication tables, spelling, and even history. Players mark off numbers on a ticket as they are randomly called out in order to achieve a winning combination. The game is then believed to have migrated to Great Britain and other parts of Europe in the 18th century. The game spread to France from Italy and was known as Le Lotto, played by the French aristocracy. Bingo originates from the Italian lottery, Il Gioco del Lotto d'Italia. The game itself, not originally called bingo, is thought to have had its roots in Italy in the 16th century, specifically, around 1530. These closures are blamed on high taxes, the smoking ban, and the rise in online gambling, amongst other things.īingo played in the UK (90-ball bingo) is not to be confused with bingo played in the US ( 75-ball bingo), as the tickets and the calling are slightly different. The number of bingo clubs in Britain has dropped from nearly 600 in 2005 to under 400 as of January 2014. Since 2005, bingo halls have seen a marked decline in revenues and the closure of many halls. Bingo, also previously known in the UK as Housey-Housey, became increasingly popular across the UK following the Betting and Gaming Act 1960 with more purpose-built bingo halls opened every year until 2005. JSTOR ( February 2023) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Ī typical 9×3 Bingo ticket, as used in the United Kingdomīingo is a game of probability in which players mark off numbers on cards as the numbers are drawn randomly by a caller, the winner being the first person to mark off all their numbers.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.įind sources: 'Bingo' British version – news Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.

Bingo card winner