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Nowadays bingo is played across the globe. It is especially popular in the US and the UK. Right now there are two options to choose from; regular and online bingo. Regardless of the format you prefer, the game continues to fascinate people from all nationalities. Despite its popularity, not many people are aware of the history of bingo game.

The origin of bingo games can be traced back to the 1500s. ‘Lo Gioco del Lotto d’Italia’, a state run lottery, began in 1530 in Italy. This is thought to be the origin of bingo game. Nowadays it is possible to take part in this lotto every Saturday. Lotto was picked up by the French in the later half of 1700s.

One adaption of this game that was created was played using a card having 3 rows (4 free spaces per row) and 9 columns. The caller would pick up wooden chips with numbers from 1 to 90 from a bag. The first person to mark an entire row would be declared the winner. Such lottery style bingo games soon achieved popularity all across Europe.

The present form of bingo was popularized by an enterprising toy salesman called Edwin S. Lowe from New York. While visiting a country fair in Atlanta (Georgia), Lowe came across a game called Beano. As players used dried beans for scoring their cards when the numbers came up, the game was known as Beano. The first player to cover a line of numbers would stop the game by shouting out ‘Beano’.

Lowe was extremely interested by the game. He also observed how the game managed to captivate every single player. He took the game back to his home and started playing with his friends. In one such game session, a lady player shouted ‘bingo’ instead of ‘Beano’. This is how bingo was born. Lowe’s bingo soon became a massive hit in the country. By 1930s, the game was being played all across the US. The fund raising potential of the game also played a role in popularizing it in social clubs and churches. Today bingo games are legally offered in some form or other in 48 states and over 100 Native American reservations.

Today bingo is played by everyone, everywhere. It is equally popular among men and women. The games are played in big halls that can seat up to 2000 people but also in small church basements. Aside from traditional bingo, the internet version is also growing in popularity. To play online, all you need to do is register at a site that offers the game. The online version has several advantages over the traditional version. Internet bingo can be played at any time and as frequently as you would like. The game can be played either for real money or just for fun. Many gaming site also provide special offers like no deposit bingo or free bingo to entice new players. You are also likely to get a joining bonus to persuade you to play. Free cash makes online bingo even more tempting!