The History of Bingo
Forget the smoky bingo halls, instant coffee and crunchy speaker systems. We have made a leap into the future with Gnuf Bingo! You’ve seen the future, now read about the past – the history of bingo.
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A Brief History of Bingo
The basic concept of Bingo is said to descend from the Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Itallia – to you and me that’s the Italian Lotto that’s been going since 1530! ‘Bingo’ has existed in some for or another since the time of medieval showmen, handed down from one generation to the next, however, what’s for sure is the true commercialization of the game we love today has its roots with game of Beno.
Beno was a game promoted by carnival showmen during the 1900’s. The game resembled a basic bingo game, with tickets and numbers marked with beans and hence the shout of ‘BENO’ when someone won!
Failing toy manufacturer Ed Lowe, one of the great promoters of the game, was so amazed at the popularity and excitement of the Beno stall that in December 1929 he took the idea home with him to share with his friends. The excitement built in the Lowe house and during one game the winning player got so over-excited that she shouted BINGO instead of Beno. Lowe loved the name so much that it’s stuck ever since!
As the game became increasing popular Bingo brought Lowe riches, and although he couldn’t patent the concept of the game Lowe asked competitors to pay him one dollar and to call their games by the same name! The game of bingo was born and it’s grown into one of the most popular leisure pursuits in the world.
Following the dawn of the internet, bingo has developed online enabling players the chance to play from the comfort of their own home. Gnuf Bingo is now the premier online bingo room today, and with its vibrant community, wide array of promotions and selection of casino games it is a safe bet that Ed Lowe would have found himself very much at home here!
