How long has Bingo been with us? Isn't that so unexpected - Italy in 1530 or so.Cards, tokens, and the calling out of numbers - sounds like Bingo. Games like this were used to teach children spelling, animal names and multiplication tables in German in the 19th century.
In North America, its history is associated with travelling carnivals in the early 20th century.
And the name's history - perhaps one of the popularizer Lowe's friends shouting out Bingo in excitement. I guess she was supposed to shout out Beano.
There used to be commercial Bingo Halls. There was a time when churches and charity organizations used these as fund raisers. But things have changed - smoking not allowed in public, lottery licenses required for games of chance, and so on. And then we've moved on to other activities and games of chance.
Bingo is still in the mindset of the U.S. Most of the Guinness World Records are from the U.S. - they include the biggest bingo card in 2019, world's highest bingo game in 2009, fastest bingo jackpot in 2010, and so on.
Bingo gets around - it makes its appearance in novels. Here's one:
The Bingo Hall Detectives – Jonathan Whitelaw
"Jonathan Whitelaw brings the vibrant world of bingo to life, turning it into a stage for intrigue, secrets, and unexpected alliances. The story follows a reluctant detective who gets drawn into a case involving missing money and suspicious characters. As he investigates, he realizes that bingo halls are more than just places to play. Thus, they are communities where people form close-knit bonds. However, they can also hide dark secrets."
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