Buzz
The game we know today as 'bingo' actually originated as 'beano.'
The game's roots can be traced back to the mid-1500s. 'Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia,' or the Italian Lottery, was a sensation at the time. Players had cards with numbered squares, and winning numbers were drawn from a sack. The game eventually made its way to France in the late 1700s, where a young Frenchman created a variation. He printed numbers on cards arranged in three horizontal rows and nine vertical columns, with the numbers one through 90 randomly placed. As before, numbers were drawn from a sack, and the first player to complete a horizontal row won the game.
Fast forward to the early 1900s in America, where 'Beano' became a popular attraction at local carnivals. Similar to the French version but with fewer numbers, players marked their cards with beans, and the winner would shout 'beano!' According to legend, in 1929, struggling toymaker Edwin S. Lowe watched a lively Beano game in New York and was inspired to develop his own version. Taking on the role of caller, he invited friends to play with his new set of numbered cards. During the game, one player became increasingly nervous as his card neared completion. When his final number was called, he mistakenly shouted 'Bingo!' in his excitement, and the name stuck.
While this may be the case, the term 'Bingo' had been used for a similar game in the United Kingdom for many years, and it likely influenced the name of the American version. In any case, the game became a huge success and played a crucial role in rescuing Lowe's struggling toy business.
