The majority of popular games, especially those that began their life in the non-digital era, tend to have a pretty fascinating history.
And bingo is no different. Most people in the UK are somewhat familiar with this game since its widespread popularity has ensured that it’s effectively part of the furniture of UK life, but even aficionados are often unaware of the game’s backstory.
As with most classic games, there’s much to know about bingo, so let’s dive right in. Below, we’ll run through a handful of facts that you (probably) didn’t know about the game.
It Dates Back to the 16th Century
Thought that bingo just randomly popped up out of nowhere in the 20th century? Think again. As with most games, bingo actually went on a long and winding journey before it landed in its final form.
A precursor to bingo was played in Italy as far back as the 1500s. Over the centuries, the game evolved and travelled; there’s a record of a game called Le Lotto, which is pretty similar to bingo, being played in France in the 17th century. From there, the game made the short trip across the channel to Great Britain in the 18th century, where it finally began to take its final shape.
The Game Ballooned in Popularity in the 1960s
It wasn’t until the 1960s that bingo really began to capture the public’s imagination. Well, officially, at least. It was probably popular before then, but there was no way to know for sure since many games took place in unofficial, private bingo establishments.
The passing of a law in 1960 that allowed for commercial bingo establishments to open changed all that. Suddenly, bingo was made available to a much larger percentage of the population. It wasn’t long before it ranked as one of the most popular leisure activities in the country.
Today, More People Play On Online
Bingo has remained steadily popular over the years, but how people play has changed. Back in 2005, the majority of players played bingo in one of the nearly 600 UK bingo establishments. By 2024, the number of bingo halls had dropped by more than half, to around 260. But that doesn’t mean that people are playing less bingo. Rather, the decline in real-world bingo halls is due to the rise of UK online bingo sites, which have become increasingly popular. Thanks to the web, players can play from the comfort of their own homes rather than having to travel to a bingo hall.
There’s More Than One Version
You haven’t played “bingo”; you’ve played a version of bingo. As you might expect from a game that has such a long and celebrated history, there are plenty of bingo variants out there. In fact, if you head to the United States, you’d play a version that had plenty of similarities with what we play here in the UK, but with a few crucial differences. For instance, here the standard is 90 Ball Bingo; across the pond, the standard is 75 Ball Bingo.
Other versions include 80 Ball Bingo and 30 Ball Bingo, both of which you’ll typically find online rather than in the real world.
Some Famous Faces Love Bingo
Do you love bingo? If so, you have the same hobby as some pretty famous faces. Perhaps the celebrity most outspoken about their love of bingo is Robbie Williams, who used to play in his hometown of Stoke and even included the game in the music video for Feel, his song from 2002. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Denise Van Outen have also both spoken about bingo, while the late Queen Elizabeth II was also said to be a fan!
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