Fun Online Bingo Facts
Bingo is played around the world, by different walks of people on a daily basis; this simple game has become part of our culture. Love it or hate it, bingo is here to stay, and so to celebrate everything bingo related, we’ve compiled a list of quirky facts about this simple yet thrilling form of entertainment. This guide is not to be missed, and may just make you a bigger fan of bingo than when you started reading…!
25 Fun Facts about Bingo
- Italian origins
Even though bingo is an international game loved by all, particularly those in the UK, it actually originated in Italy during the 15th century. At that time, it was a lottery for the local people of Italy, with the gameplay we know today only being introduced as it moved from France to the US and then to the UK.
- Bingo over football
Believe it or not, in the UK alone, bingo has more money gambled on it than football! Considering how many Britons are renowned for being passionate fans of “the beautiful game”, it’s quite surprising to learn that gambling for all types of bingo still trumps all football events every time.
- Younger than you think
Bingo has long been regarded as an elderly pastime, with bingo halls being the types of places our grandparents frequented, and yet it turns out that most bingo gamers nowadays are much younger. According to the latest stats, the majority of bingo players are under the age of 35.
- There’s an app for that
When it comes to where bingo is most commonly played, not only is the game now big with online users, but most of the gameplay is done via mobile apps. Gone are the days when we had to rush to a local hall and buy a ticket, now we can simply play on our smartphones, at the touch of a fingertip. No hassle, no fuss.
- Enjoyment is key
According to surveys of bingo players, the main reason for enjoying the game isn’t to do with a big prize at the end, but actually about simply enjoying the process of the game. As cliche as it may sound, the taking part is ranked the main reason for playing.
- Keep it small
A lot of online bingo nowadays involves large numbers of people, thanks to how many can join a bingo game at any one time, and yet the best way to relish the delights of the game is with less people. The simple, and cunning, reason for this is because you’re more likely to win if there’s less people involved.
- Short but sweet
In-keeping with the less is more notion, bingo games tend to last only a couple of minutes, six minutes to be exact. According to countless resources, the average bingo game lasts between three and six minutes, though we all know of that one game that went on way too long…!
- Margaret is a big fan
As odd as it may sound, Margaret is a very lucky name in the bingo community. You see, players who have the name Margaret are said to be statistically more likely to become a bingo winner than any other named player involved.
- It’s all online these days
We doubt this one will surprise many of you, but online bingo is now the biggest form of bingo when compared with its land based counterparts. A lot of people say that this is due to bonuses and other such promotions, but perhaps it’s more about it being much simpler to get involved.
- Scots LOVE bingo
It’s not really news to say that UK players are among some of the biggest bingo fans out there, but would it shock you to learn that more people play in Scotland alone than in the rest of the UK? It’s said that 1 in 5 Scots will play bingo, while elsewhere in the UK those stats change to 1 in 20.
- Games can be educational too
Alongside being used as a fun game of chance, bingo can also be used as an educational tool, like how it was back in 19th century Germany. When it was used back then, it was so that children could learn their times tables, however since then bingo has been used for other learning resources as well.
- Can’t live without it
Most of us are aware of the entertainment value of bingo, but did you know that over 48% of UK players claim to play the game at least once a day. If this is true, that means that there’s nearly half of the population unable to go a whole 24 hours without getting their bingo fix.
- It’s “Housie” down under
As we all know, bingo gets its name from players calling out the word “bingo” whenever they make a winning line. However, in Australia they call out something completely different: at the end of their games, the winner shouts out “Housie” instead.
- The colour purple
Bingo wouldn’t be the same without those beloved daubers. We know that not all players have to use them, given the various online games, and electronic tickets, however those players that do use them seem to prefer the colour purple. It’s said to be the most commonly used daube colour.
- Bingo is only half the experience
Now that bingo is inside our homes and on our phones, we’re able to do a lot more than merely sit and play. As a result of this, 83% of us are playing bingo while doing other everyday tasks, such as chatting on the phone or watching the telly.
- The cat that got the cream
There are many unspoken rules in this world, one of which is that bingo players are animal lovers, specifically of cats. According to surveys taken, the majority of bingo players are avid cat lovers, thus making this a pastime that gets the feline seal of approval.
- An awarding pastime
Although hard to believe for those of us not in the know, bingo callers, also known as chat hosts, can actually win awards for their job, with these award ceremonies held on both a monthly and yearly basis. A whole website is dedicated to this award giving side of the game, should you be interested in learning more.
- The power of women
The fairer sex has done it again! Although women may not be breaking ground in this fun fact, what they are doing is being one of the largest demographics of online bingo players. In 2012 alone, there was over 2.5 million female players just within the UK!
- A special relationship with a difference
The UK and the US are known for having a rather unique relationship, but while they get along most of the time, and share many similarities, bingo is an exception. If you look at US bingo cards, they’re dramatically different to UK played ones.
- The options are endless
Okay, so it’s a lie to say that the bingo combinations you can win with are endless, but there is still a great deal many of them. The last time it was counted, there was said to be over 1,474,200 different ways for players to wing a game of bingo. Talk about being bombarded with options!
- Best days of the week
It’s quite natural for us to love Friday and Saturday, as those are the days of the week when we can unwind and forget about work. However, did you also know that those days are the ones when the large bingo jackpot has been won the most?
- Not such a big spender
A lot of gamblers may love to flash the cash, but bingo players don’t seem to be one of them. When we looked at the latest numbers, it was determined that bingo gamers spend an average of between £15 and £20 a day on the game.
- The best sort of brain teaser
We’re all for keeping our brains in tip top shape, so when Southampton University conducted a study and found that bingo is good for keeping the brain active, we were overjoyed by the news. More games for us!
- Making new friends
Even though bingo halls aren’t at the centre of online bingo, that isn’t to say that players aren’t making new friends. Thanks to the chat capabilities of online bingo, up to 43% of people are able to form new friends and maintain that group via online interactions.
- Most popular of them all
To finish our list of facts, we’ll give you a simple but good one to end with, that bingo is the most popular online game of them all. That’s right, all of you would rather play a game of bingo than any other form of game.
Conclusion
As you can see, the world of bingo isn’t as simple as you may have thought, and it has a lot more twists and turns than many have been led to believe. If nothing else, we hope that the next time you play bingo, you sit with a smile on your face, able to recall all the weird and wonderful facts about this pastime thanks to us.