Bingo Facts and Trivia

You might think you know all there is to know about bingo, but here at BingoPort we're willing to bet you don't! Fancy learning a bit more about your favourite game? We've put together some fun bingo facts and trivia for you to enjoy...

#1: Bingo is bigger than football!

In the UK, every year more money is spent on bingo tickets than on all footballing events combined.

#2: Bingo used to be called 'beano'.

Yep, that's right—the game hasn't always been called bingo. It used to be called 'beano' because players would cover up their numbers with beans. Can you imagine if we still had to do that today—how would online bingo work?! 

The game we know and love only became known as bingo after a New York entrepreneur, Edwin S. Lowe, reinvented 'beano' as a toy for children. Allegedly, when he was playing an early version of the game with his family, someone got so excited when they won that they shouted 'bingo!', and the name stuck!

#3: US bingo cards are different to UK ones.

We might have a lot of things in common with our friends across the pond, but our bingo cards aren't one of them! Check out our article on the difference between UK and US bingo for more information.

#4: Nearly half of all regular bingo players play the game every day.

48% of regular bingo players indulge in a quick game every single day, making it into a part of their regular routine. For many people, it's as normal as cleaning your teeth or doing the dishes—are you one of them?

#5: Margaret is the most common winning name.

If you're lucky enough to be called Margaret, then statistically you're more likely to win than anyone else. You've got no excuse now—get playing!

#6: Bingo players are a lot younger than you might think.

Many people (mainly non-bingo players) think that bingo's mainly played by older adults, but they're wrong! In fact, the majority of bingo players are under the age of 35.

#7: Bingo comes from Italy, and is nearly 500 years old!

Bingo actually originates in Italy, and dates back to 1530. Known as 'Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia', the game is still played every Saturday in Italy. If you fancy a trip to the continent but worry you won't be able to get your bingo fix, you know where to go!

#8: Bingo is more popular in Scotland than the rest of the UK.

There must be something in the water up there, because a massive 1 in 5 Scots plays bingo. Compare this to the South of England, where only 1 in 20 people play, and it's enough to make anyone want to move up north!

#9: The average bingo game lasts between 3 and 6 minutes.

This is calculated from the average amount of numbers a bingo caller chooses every minute—23.

#10: Bingo is used for education, as well as fun!

Who knew that the game we all love isn't just good for amusement? It was actually used to help German schoolchildren learn their times tables way back in the 1800s, and has been used in various educational capacities ever since.

#11: Bingo relieves stress.

I'm sure plenty of you know this already from personal experience, but playing bingo has been shown to help reduce stress.

#12: In Australia, they don't even shout 'bingo'.

The USA isn't the only nation with significantly different bingo traditions to ours. In Australia, they shout 'housie!' instead of 'bingo!'.

Well, we think that's probably enough to get on with for the time being. If you're one of the 3 million people who plays online bingo in the UK every day, you owe it to yourself to become a BingoPort member—you'll fit in well here!

Also, make sure to check our bingo news section every week for the best promotions on the net. Happy playing!