American Carnivals: The Unlikely Birth of Bingo Using a tombola-like format, the game was designed to help children improve their math and spelling abilities – to debatable levels of success. This variation of the game proved popular, and it soon made its way to Germany, where academics saw educational potential in the game. The first player who managed to cover a horizontal line of numbers was declared the winner. This modified variation of the game used a game card – much like those used in today’s bingo – and during the game, wooden chips were pulled from a drum. In the 17th century, the then-bingo was known more commonly as Le Lotto. The player who picked the most correct numbers was declared the winner.
Some experts, however, believe bingo’s origins can be traced back as far as the days of the Roman Empire!īack then, however, the game took a slightly different format players picked from a set of numbers, with another set drawn from a drum. Why Bingo Halls Are Still Popular Todayīingo can, in some form, be traced back as far as 1530, when literature vaguely refers to a lottery called Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia.” Roughly translated as “the game of lotto in Italy”, this is the first real sign of bingo – and it was traditionally played on a Sunday.American Carnivals: The Unlikely Birth of Bingo.
