The History of Bingo: From Italy to the Internet
The game of Bingo was originally called "Il Gioco del Lotto d'Italia," with its roots tracing back to 16th-century Italy, where people gathered to play lottery-style games.
Bingo then made its way to France in the 18th century and was named “Le Lotto.” This form of the game closely resembles modern-day Bingo, having evolved to include matching numbers on a card with those drawn from a pool. If this sounds familiar, that is because it is very similar to the Bingo we know today.
It was in the 1920s that Bingo made its way to the United States and was popularized there by a New York toy manufacturer named Edwin S. Lowe. He is also the one who renamed it “Bingo,” even creating the first set of printed bingo cards.
Bingo continued to rise in popularity and shot even higher by the late 1990s as it was allowed to evolve into an online phenomenon. With the launch of online Bingo sites, players were now able to enjoy the game from the comfort of their homes. This brought in a new era of gameplay, which included chat rooms, jackpots, and social interaction.
Visit Majestic Bingo and check out how online bingo has preserved the magic of a game that goes as far back as the 16th century!