As America celebrates 250 years of independence, it got us thinking: Just how long has bingo been around? It turns out the history of bingo stretches back nearly 500 years. Over the centuries, the game evolved from an Italian lottery into one of America’s most recognizable community games and fundraising traditions.
A Game Centuries in the Making
Bingo can trace its roots to lottery style games played in Italy during the 1500s. As similar lotto games spread throughout Europe, they evolved into games that used numbered cards and randomly selected numbers.
By the late 1800s, versions of lotto were being sold as boxed games. The basic idea was already familiar: Players marked numbers on a card as they were called and tried to complete a winning combination.
The game arrived in the United States during the early 1900s. In the 1920s, Hugh J. Ward began running a version of it at carnivals in Pittsburgh and throughout western Pennsylvania.
In 1929, New York toy salesman Edwin Lowe encountered the game at a traveling carnival in Atlanta. Players covered the numbers on their cards with dried beans, so the game was called “Beano.” Lowe brought the idea back to New York, began hosting games and eventually helped introduce it to a much larger audience.
How “Bingo” Got Its Name
According to a popular story, someone playing one of Lowe’s early games became so excited after winning that she accidentally shouted “Bingo!” instead of “Beano.” Whether every detail of that story happened exactly as it has been retold is difficult to confirm, but the name quickly became part of the game’s identity. By 1933, Hugh J. Ward had registered a rulebook for a game called Bingo, and Lowe was mass producing his own version. By the 1940s, bingo had spread throughout the country.
A Tradition of Community Fundraising
Bingo found an especially important place in American communities during the Great Depression. Weekly bingo games began appearing in movie theaters, social halls, churches, synagogues and other gathering places. The game offered an affordable way for people to get out of the house, spend time together and enjoy the possibility of winning a prize. Organizations also discovered that bingo could bring a crowd together while raising money for a shared purpose. Churches, schools, service organizations and nonprofits began using bingo nights to support programs and community needs. That combination of entertainment, connection and generosity helped turn bingo into an American tradition.
Why Bingo Still Brings People Together
Bingo has lasted for centuries because it is easy to understand, exciting to play and even better when enjoyed with other people. You can come with a group of experienced players, bring someone who has never played before or settle into your favorite seat with your lucky dauber. Every session offers another opportunity to laugh, connect and experience the anticipation of waiting for that final number.
At Giving Hope Bingo, that community tradition continues. Your bingo night is not only a chance to win. It also helps support local nonprofits serving children and families throughout the Sioux Falls area.
Your Bingo Night Awaits
From Italian lottery games to American carnival tents, church basements and community bingo halls, the game has traveled a long way. Nearly 500 years later, people are still gathering around their cards, listening for their numbers and hoping to be the next person to call out “Bingo!”
Join us for an upcoming session at Giving Hope Bingo in Sioux Falls. New players are always welcome, and every game helps support local nonprofits serving children and families in our community.
