You are probably reading this and thinking that you know bingo. Well, think again. There is much more to this multi-million-pound industry than meets the eye. So we have compiled 10 fun facts about your favourite game, which you did not know about.

1. The first Bingo game was invented in the 1530’s in Italy. It was known as Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia. It did not become popular in any other countries until the 1770’s, when it first appeared in France.
2. The game spread across the globe very fast, but it did not gain its name until the 1920’s. This was all due to Edwin S. Lowe, who was an American toy seller and entrepreneur at that time. He toured the country selling the game, which he had called Beano since they used beans to cover the numbers. Bingo received its name after a lady shouted it out by mistake.
3. Bingo is traditionally known as a game for fun, but it is commonly used as an educational tool. Moreover, in the early days of its invention, German schools used the game to help teach math. Nowadays, it is utilised in a variety of various classroom settings and even language classes.
4. Many players associate bingo with little old ladies and church halls. However, the game can be much more extreme. For example, Underground Rebel Bingo is a game which is probably the absolute opposite of what we think bingo is. This type of bingo initially appeared in a church hall located in London, and in a lot of ways what is happening around the game is as crucial as who is winning and the available prizes. Far cruder, ruder calls replace the traditional calls of Two Fat Ladies and players can daub both their cards and one another.
5. Many people think that Bingo is the heart of British culture. It is true that it is one of the most popular British gambling games. So, it might be quite the shock for you to realise that the game arrived here in the 1950’s. That does not matter though since it caught on pretty quickly.
6. Some people might associate Bingo with senior citizens, but the game is now much more popular with a younger crowd. The average Bingo age is currently 30.
7. From the beginning, one of the leading companies was Mecca, even though back then it was called Top Rank. This organisation paved the way for other industry giants like Gala Coral. Over the years the companies remained two of the largest names in the industry. Even with the extra competition of online sites. You can read more at planetf1.
8. However, even if these companies are competing with one another, the linked games play a crucial role in the bingo culture. Today’s websites team up to present networked or linked jackpot games, just as in the good old days land-based venues used to host a massive linked game during each session.
9. Most people think that the first online bingo site was launched in 2003. However, the first game was created by the Canadian company Parlay Entertainment. The game is called Cyber Bingo, and it was launched in 1996.
10. Bingo is a massive industry. You already knew that, but it is bigger than you thought – about 8% of the population in the world play bingo, which is about 573 million.