Although Bingo may involve much less skill than other gambling games such as poker or blackjack, there are still plenty of reasons to play, either at your local bingo hall or with one of the many great online bingo sites, such as Bet365 Bingo. But just what is it about bingo that has kept players coming back for hundreds of years?
The History Of Bingo
Bingo in Britain has its roots in the earliest lotteries, which date back to the 16th century when the country was under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). The lottery was aimed at the wealthy, rather than the poor, but gambling games were common amongst the working classes, particularly in the drinking establishments.
Gambling was soon banned and driven underground by the rule of the Puritans, but resurfaced in 1710, when government organised a state lottery to raise funds. Newspapers would report on the large prizes and tell the stories of the winners, who were often poor, which helped to spread the game’s popularity.
The earliest reliable documentation of a game of bingo though, was in Mexico back in the 1830s, when an archaeologist encountered locals playing a game called “La Lotteria”, which involved marking off numbers on a piece of paper as a young boy drew numbers from a bag. It is believed that British sailors based in Malta had copied a local game as early as 1814, and were too playing bingo. The format of the game has barely changed ever since those long forgotten days.
But why has bingo proved a hit with people for hundreds of years?
Why Play Bingo?
There are plenty of reasons why people choose to play bingo. Bingo has many appealing characteristics, most notably its simplicity. There are no complicated rules to learn or tricky strategies and tactics – you simply wait for the numbers to be called out and mark them on your bingo card as you go along. What could be simpler?
Furthermore, bingo cards are often very cheap to play. Online bingo sites in particular can offer cards from as little as 10, as they don’t have to worry so much about the overheads faced by a traditional bingo hall. For just a very small sum of money, bingo offers its players the chance to win much larger amounts.
Traditionally, bingo is a very social pastime, which is another reason why many people choose to play bingo. In the past, friends and families would gather to play in the local bingo hall, but even though these places are now in decline, the online bingo sites attempt to replicate the friendly, social atmosphere by including chat rooms and having a “host” in each room, who will encourage discussion, banter, fun activities in between bingo games and of course, offer help with any queries the players might have.
Additionally, psychologists have studied bingo players and concluded that playing bingo can help to maintain good mental health, particularly as we age. Subjects were shown to have better memories than non bingo players, as well as developing mental techniques to spot patterns of numbers. One elderly lady was found to be capable of playing 140 bingo cards simultaneously without making an error!
But the most important reason for why bingo continues to prove popular, is because it is just great fun to play. From the bingo lingo (two fat ladies, 88 jump and jive, 35) to the social aspect of the game, bingo is fun for everyone.
Where Can I Start To Play Bingo?
A great place to play your first game of online bingo would be Bet365 Bingo. The players are friendly, there are a wide variety of bingo games to choose from and there is a great loyalty scheme, allowing players to win free games of bingo as a reward for their loyalty.
In addition to all of the above, new Bet365 Bingo players all qualify for a free £25 bonus, when spending £5 of their own money. Why not get involved today?
Good luck!
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