Most people enjoy bingo games in clubs and online on their mobile devices today. But they might not appreciate the origins of the game of bingo and the long way it has come, to be the great game that’s idolized by legions and millions of fans around the globe.
Whether you fancy the 90-ball, 80-ball, 75-ball, or any other variations of the game of bingo, it’s always a fun experience when you pull out your scorecard at the local bingo club or log into your favourite online bingo sites UK to catch the live stream gameplay of a numbers draw.
Now there’s a national day set aside to celebrate bingo on 27th June each year. The National Bingo day aside for a minute, how did bingo become a gamblers’ favorite?
A Quick Bingo History Timeline
The earliest version of bingo stems from 16th century Italy where a lottery-type pastime fun activity named Lo Guioco del Lotto D’Italia would attract folks from all social classes. The Italian lottery-type game would evolve through the 1600s and further develop into what the French dubbed Le Lotto.
The French took Le lotto around the world. At some point in the 19th century, Germans took the main concepts of Le Lotto and made a tombola semblance out of it to teach kids about timetables, spelling, and a bit of history.
Fast forward to the early 1920s, the modern-day bingo game that we play came about when an American toymaker, Edwin Lowe, had a brush with the game at fairs and carnivals in the US city of Atlanta. Back in the day, people would shout “Beano” instead of “Bingo.”
The word “Bingo” came about when Lowe brought beano back to his native New York.
The bingo rush hit the streets of Great Britain in the 1960s. Britons immediately fell in love with the game. There were instances in which cinema halls got shut to pave the way for bingo halls and social hubs. The penetration of bingo in the UK market was unprecedented, and before long, bingo halls dotted the entire country. This growth coincided with the dot-com era, which ushered in electronic bingo and made it easy for bingo lovers with a personal computer to participate in draws right from the comfort of their homes.
Today, bingo has grown to become a national treasure with regulatory recognition—The Gambling Act 2005 in the US and The Gaming Act 1960 in the UK.
We’re now talking about close to 350 online new bingo sites in the UK alone. That development in the gambling industry has cut a path for an entirely new generation of bingo players, most of which are male.
And there are over 27% of bingo players depositing at least £50 for real money gameplay into their accounts. The rise of affordable smartphones and broadband internet penetration has only served to fuel the accessibility of online bingo.
No wonder bingo has a National Day dedicated to it in the US, not to mention the recent push by the National Bingo Game Association in the UK to adopt 27th June as the Nation Bingo Day in Great Britain.
The National Bingo Day: 27 June 2021
The National Bingo Day may have started in the US, but it’s picking up steam across the world. The UK is at the forefront of popularizing this National Day status. There’s a much better appreciation of the game of bingo and what it does to improve communities of gamers who partake in it.
So, what’s the National Bingo Day all about?
For starters, The National Bingo Game Association is running a couple of promotions to create awareness about the social impact of bingo, the game as a whole, and the actual national day recognition. The association has a Half-Price National Bingo Game draw at all participating bingo clubs across the UK where 2 bingo tickets will cost you 50p, and 5 tickets go for £1 for a chance to call a full house within 15 numbers or less and win a share of £50,000.
Look out for the official National Bingo Day logo at clubs and bingo websites to know which have National Bingo Day participation approval.
The other bingo tournament under the National Bingo Association banner is the £100,000 Prize money Guarantee. All you must do is call for a full house in the least number of calls to bag £50,000 in the afternoon and evening.
The players at the victorious bingo club will each earn an extra £100. Ensure you join the party on this year’s National Bingo Day, Sunday the 27th June 2021, at a club near you or online.
Is the National Bingo Day Just for One Day?
Yes. The National Bingo Day is a one-day affair, and that’s probably why several bingo clubs and online sites have fun-filled bingo activities leading up the day and even more offers and promotions on that particular day.
There’ll be special events and bingo treats from most UK clubs and bingo sites. Stay tuned to your local club or online bingo site and keep an eye for the list of events and bingo action in the National Bingo Day Online Calendar.
National Bingo Day Campaigns That Players Should Expect
Bingo clubs and sites always have ongoing promotions even when National Bingo Day isn’t on the horizon. So, tailor-making bingo gameplay incentives on bingo’s big day shouldn’t be a problem. Here are some of the attractions we expect from bingo clubs and online sites:
Competition, trivia quizzes, cash, and prize giveaways.
A bingo competition among players in bingo rooms for a shot to win some money or gift voucher and an interactive trivia session between players and room hosts is like a staple of bingo promotions.
New players especially should look out for free bingo games as a sign-up bonus leading up to National Bingo Day. It’s more likely than not that most of the free bingo gameplay opportunities by online bingo sites will be aimed at pulling in bingo newbies to create accounts.
Free bingo sessions
New players especially should look out for free bingo offers as a sign-up bonus leading up to National Bingo Day. It’s more likely than not that most of the free bingo gameplay opportunities by online bingo sites will be aimed at pulling in bingo newbies to create accounts.
Chat host games and bingo jackpots
Bingo is now more than a national treasure. 5 million people play it in the UK, translating to a £1 billion industry. An additional 100 million players play it online on the global scene. There are likely to be millions of people trooping into bingo clubs and online sites on 27th June to get a piece of the bingo action. It’ll be a great opportunity for chat hosts to engage novice and existing players in games and clubs and sites to have jackpot draws.
Reference sources:
Upcoming Events – National Bingo Day
National Bingo Day 2021 – National Awareness Days Calendar 2021