Bingo is often underestimated by fans of gambling games. However, it is much more than just a game of chance for women and elderly people, as it is often called. Learn the most interesting facts about bingo to make sure of it.
Bingo is a popular game that has a reputation as a “game for women” and a “game for seniors”. This is not 100% true because bingo is a game that fits everyone regardless of age, genre, and skills. Bingo is a game of chance where everyone can have a great time and win money. However, the rich history of bingo and some unique facts about it prove that bingo can be something more than just another gambling activity.
Top 7 interesting facts about bingo
First of all, a few words about bingo and its rules. As we have already mentioned, bingo is a game of chance where players rely on their luck rather than skills or knowledge. To win in bingo, players should buy a special bingo card with numbers arranged on it in random order. Then, players match the numbers on their cards with the winning numbers. When a player covers a certain pattern on his card, he stops the game to claim the prize.
The rules of bingo are clear, but what’s so special about this game? Check out the 7 most interesting facts about bingo as well as the latest online bingo updates to understand why people like playing bingo so much.
Bingo is an old gambling game
Bingo is not just a popular game of chance; it is an old gambling game with a long history. It originated around the 1500s as an improved version of the Italian lottery, Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia. Then, the game spread to Western Europe, finding its popularity in France, the UK, and later in the US. It became worldwide famous in the 18th century and is still one of the most-played games in the world.
Playing bingo improves health
Bingo is jokingly called the “game for seniors”. However, few people know that the game is actually very useful to the elderly. According to numerous studies, playing bingo helps to improve such functions as cognitive function, hand-eye coordination, and communicative/socialization skills. Apart from these three, bingo has plenty of other benefits for physical and mental health.
Bingo is popular among celebrities
Not all celebrities prefer playing poker or blackjack. There are many actors, musicians, models, and athletes who prefer playing bingo in their free time. In particular, Russel Crowe, Robby Williams, Kate Moss, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mick Jagger, Bono, and Cristiano Ronaldo are rumored to be big fans of bingo.
The biggest bingo prize ever won
Bingo is not just a fun gambling game; it is also highly profitable if you know how to play. Thus, you can win millions of dollars in bingo games just like the biggest bingo winners. As of 2022, John Orchard holds the record for the biggest bingo jackpot ever won – $6,5 million! Other winners from the top 5 have won fewer yet still impressive sums, such as one or two million dollars.
Bingo has many variations
Interesting facts about bingo don’t cover just various records and statistics. Most beginner players will be surprised to learn that bingo has more than two variations. The most popular ones are British and American bingo, also known as 90 Ball and 75 Ball respectively. There are also such bingo variations as 80 Ball, 30 Ball, 52-5 Bingo, and Slingo. The latter is a mix of classic bingo and slots.
Bingo has its own vocabulary
The bingo community is one of the biggest in the world. The game is so popular that its players have developed their own terminology, slang words, abbreviations, and nicknames for winning patterns/numbers. They all make bingo something more than just a game of chance. If you are interested, read more about bingo terms here.
Billions of people play bingo every year
Finally, let’s see how popular bingo actually is. According to the statistics, around 1 billion people play bingo every year. There are approximately 60 million bingo players in the United States alone, and most of them are women. American players spend around $90 million on bingo cards every week, to say nothing about the UK, Ireland, India, Australia, and many other countries where bingo is in high demand.
