What is bingo?
Dating back centuries, bingo is a game of chance that’s easy to play but no less exciting for its simplicity. The earliest form of the game originated in Italy in the 16th century as an extension of the country’s National Lottery, but it was not until the early 1900s that it became a popular pastime across Europe and the United States of America.
Each player has a card with a random selection of numbers laid out in a grid. A caller spins numbered balls in a cage and pulls them out one at a time, announcing each number as they’re removed. Players listen for the numbers that correspond with those on their cards and mark them off as they appear.
The game aims to cross out a full line before anyone else and to be the first to reach a full house. In some games, the fastest to a second to a line is also a winner.
Where can you play bingo?
Bingo was originally played in person, first at the travelling fun fairs which traversed Europe and then in working men’s clubs at the turn of the 20th century. As the century progressed and bingo soared in popularity, community spaces were dedicated to the game and became known as bingo halls. Locals would congregate regularly throughout the week for a game and the chance to socialise.
Thanks to the invention of the internet, bingo can now be played solo. You can download a bingo app to your smartphone or play through a website via your PC. Ensure you’re using a trusted provider with a licence from the Gambling Commission and encryption to protect your details.
Playing online doesn’t have to mean no socialising. Chat rooms allow players to communicate together and enjoy the camaraderie of the traditional bingo halls. All you’re missing is the caller using cockney rhyming slang to announce the numbers, but you’ve got the advantage of playing in the comfort of your home or while on the go.
The different types of bingo
Traditional UK bingo cards are arranged in a 9 x 3 grid, with each row containing four blank squares and five numbers. The numbers range from 1 to 90, and prizes are given for the first to a line and the fastest to a full house. The game ends when the full house has been achieved.
Many other versions of bingo are available with different numbers of balls and card designs, but the principle of the game always remains the same. For example, bingo in the US is a 75-ball game played on a 5 x 5 square, and lines can be drawn vertically and diagonally as well as horizontally.
