Gambling has been going on for as long as humans have been able to count. Engrained in human culture somehow, the fondness of having a flutter and that simple risk and reward fun, has been going on for generations. At some point in time, the game of Bingo was founded and it has become a part of British culture in its own right with amazing bingo games sites appearing. A call and response game in some respects, the pure simplicity of the number and odds game that is Bingo, has made it a timeless spectacle that has been around for so long, it’s origins are quite unclear. Today though, it is still very popular thanks to a thriving online gambling industry which has continued to involved the classic pastime. Online casinos even have separate section of their websites and apps for those who want to play bingo and online casinos can even specialise in online bingo, not offering any other games apart from the classic gambling spectacle that we all know and love. In this history of bingo article, we will be looking back at where the game started, how it grew in the UK and how it became such a part of our popular culture. We also look at the rise and fall of the game, with best online bingo uk developments in the 21st century having a huge impact on how the game is played and enjoyed. So, get your calling card ready and listen up carefully, for this is the history of bingo in the UK. More on online bingo no deposit from our blogs below.
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Origins of Bingo
The origins of bingo can be traced back to the 16th century, specifically in Italy where a version of the game we know today was being played. Similar to the lottery in many ways, Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia was the original form of bingo, consisting of several players and several numbers. However, there is also confusion over the UK and US games of bingo which, despite appearing to be very similar, are actually different in terms of how many balls are used and how the types of calls. What you need to know is that in the UK, we operate with 90 balls in a standard game of bingo and have done since the game arrived here, it seems. A game of random chance and odds, players are given a random selection of numbers between 1 and 90. The announcer then calls out these numbers at complete random, be it through a raffle-like spinning ball or a modern, electronic system, and the first player to get all the numbers marked on their card wins. Simple, honest fun. Find great deals and free bingo games at Umbingo!
Bingo’s rise in popularity
That aforementioned simple fun became very popular in the UK and it wasn’t long after the game arrived, that people were flocking to bingo halls to play. Bingo became a great way to socialise with every town having a large bingo hall that would typically serve drinks as well as some good old fashioned gambling fun. Regulars would be able to meet up for a catch-up and a chat, providing they kept quiet during the all-important moments when the announcer would call out some numbers. You wouldn’t want to be the one told off for talking during these crucial moments, that is for certain. In a time before satellite TV and a time way before Playstations, Xbox and the internet, even, bingo was a very popular pastime for Brits up and down the country. More and more bingo halls were opened and became pillars of local communities where they stood. Up until 2005, more and more of these bingo halls were being opened all the time and at one point, there were over 600 bingo halls in the UK.
Truly a part of British culture by this point, the famous calls were well known and commonly slipped into conversations of many Brits. The original list of calls is as follows:
- Kelly’s Eye
- One Little Duck
- Cup of Tea
- Knock at the Door
- Man Alive
- Tom Mix
- Lucky Seven
- Garden Gate
- Doctor’s Orders
- Cameron’s Den
- Legs 11
- One Dozen
- Unlucky for Some
- Valentine’s Day
- Young and Keen
- Sweet 16
- Dancing Queen
- Coming of Age
- Goodbye Teens
- One Score
- Royal Salute
- Two Little Ducks
- Thee and Me
- Two Dozen
- Duck and Dive
- Pick and Mix
- Gateway to Heaven
- Over Weight
- Rise and Shine
- Dirty Gertie
- Get Up and Run
- Buckle My Shoe
- Dirty Knee
- Ask for More
- Jump and Jive
- Three Dozen
- More than 11
- Christmas Cake
- Steps
- Naughty 40
- Time for Fun
- Winnie the Pooh
- Down on Your Knees
- Droopy Drawers
- Halfway There
- Up to Tricks
- Four and Seven
- Four Dozen
- PC
- Half a Century
- Tweak of the Thumb
- Danny La Rue
- Stuck in the Tree
- Clean the Floor
- Snakes Alive
- Was She Worth It?
- Heinz Varieties
- Make Them Wait
- Brighton Line
- Five Dozen
- Bakers Bun
- Turn the Screw
- Tickle Me 63
- Red Raw
- Old Age Pension
- Clickety Click
- Made in Heaven
- Saving Grace
- Either Way Up
- Three Score and 10
- Bang on the Drum
- Six Dozen
- Queen B
- Candy Store
- Strive and Strive
- Trombones
- Sunset Strip
- Heaven’s Gate
- One More Time
- Eight and Blank
- Stop and Run
- Straight On Through
- Time for Tea
- Seven Dozen
- Staying Alive
- Between the Sticks
- Torquay in Devon
- Two Fat Ladies
- Nearly There
- Top of the Shop
Online bingo
The rise of online bingo coincided with a decline of the bingo halls of the UK, which are falling in terms of numbers. Other factors such as high tax, gambling laws and the smoking ban are all factors considered to have played a part in the struggle of the country’s bingo halls to make a profit. However, the rise of online bingo and slot games has played the biggest role. The ease of being able to play using a random number generator software, straight from a smartphone, desktop or tablet, is now the most popular way to bingo. And, thousands of Brits still play this age-old game each and every day in it’s new and exciting form. Want to learn how to play bingo, use our online bingo guide!
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