While online bingo is a relatively new phenomenon, the game of bingo is actually centuries old and has gone through several different names and variations. The game of bingo traces its extensive history through Italy, France, Germany, and then to North America – all before bingo made its debut on the Internet.
Originally, bingo was played under another name. The game of bingo was originally called Lotto, or more accurately Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia. The earliest evidence of the game of bingo suggests that the game was introduced to the Romans in the year 1530. Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia, which is believed to be the original bingo game was played in drawing 5 numbers ranging from one to ninety. In Italy, this game evolved into the national lottery game that is played throughout Italy.
Originally, the Lo Giuoco del Lotto card game played from cards that were divided into nine columns up and down and three rows sideways. Appropriately, the rows possessed nine squares – five of which were numbered and four were blank. The numbers were random in nature, which meant that they were in no specific order. While the numbers were not in any specific order, the columns were logically divided. Numbers one through ten were in the first column, while the second column housed numbers ranging between eleven and twenty.
When the Lo Giuoco del Lotto game was played, the players each purchased a card and the caller drew numbered wooden tokens. These tokens were numbered from one to ninety. As the numbers were called, the players covered the corresponding numbers. The game ended when a player covered an entire row on their Lo Giuoco del Lotto card.
Eventually, this game spread through Europe, spilling into Germany and France, as well as the United Kingdom. In 1778, the French changed the name of the game to Le Lotto. Le Lotto was an elitist game, as only the richest members of the French society played it. While the French reserved this game for the upper class, the Germans adopted the game and put it to educational use. In Germany, early versions of the game of bingo were used to help school teachers teach the nation’s children how to multiply. Even today, the game of bingo assists people in helping children identify numbers, how to spell, do math, and even how to read. [Read more…] about Bingo History