Let’s Play BINGO! January is National Bingo Month

Show of hands – have you played Bingo before? By statistics, just about every hand should be up. Bingo is rated as the number one game worldwide. And why not? It’s not a hard game to play. There are no complicated rules to remember. All you need is a Bingo card and a dauber (a Bingo marker) or disks to cover the called numbers. What are some interesting facts about the game? Glad you asked!

History of the Game

Bingo is an old game. Truly. The game originated in Italy and is based on the Italian National Lottery, Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia, which had been played since 1530.

In the United States, credit for the game goes to a New York toy salesman, Edwin Lowe who saw the game played in December 1929 at a fair in Georgia.

German educators used Bingo as a tool to teach students their multiplication tables.

The game was originally called Beano. When a woman shouted ‘Bingo!’ at winning a game, the name stuck, and it’s been Bingo ever since.

Healthy Benefits

There are health benefits associated with the game. Bingo is considered a stress reliever. Since there is an inherent need to pay attention, a person’s cognitive abilities are exercised each time the game is played.

The Players

There’s a social aspect to the game. In fact, that’s the number one reason people play. Winning the pot is only number five on why people enjoy Bingo.

Many players have particular rituals they follow. Perhaps they sit in a certain spot, use a specific color to mark their cards or have a certain way they lay out their cards if playing multiple games.

And who does play Bingo? If you think it’s a bunch of older folks playing, you’d be wrong. The average age for players is under 35; about 80% of players are women.

If your name is Margaret, you’re more likely to be a Bingo winner. It’s the most common winner’s name.

You’re in good company as a player. Even British royalty enjoys playing.

Game Stats

On average, 96% of all the people who have played Bingo, have won at some point.

The average game lasts about three to six minutes. There are about 23 calls per minutes during a game. It’s a fast game.

There are over one million different combinations for winning.

Today, Bingo can be played in person or online. Online has gained in popularity, and most players get in at least one game per day.

Bingo is the number one fundraising activity for charitable organizations worldwide.

The Dauber

A dauber is a specific marker just for Bingo players that marks using clear, bright colors – sometimes glittery or neon. They’re typically not available outside of Bingo parlors.