Bingo sessions started in 16th-century Italy. The Italian National Lottery was the first form of bingo and is still played in Italy today.
Bingo made its way to America in the 1920s when a New York toy salesman named Edwin S. Lowe saw a game called “Beano” being played at a carnival near Atlanta. The game involved an unlimited number of players marking numbers on their cards and waiting for those numbers to be called out, and the first player to complete a line would shout “Beano!” instead of “Bingo.” Lowe saw the potential of the game and brought it back to New York. One of his friends accidentally yelled “Bingo” instead of “Beano” in excitement, and the name stuck. Lowe recognized the popularity of the game and began producing his own cards, calling it “Bingo.” He eventually trademarked the name and began selling the game commercially, leading to its widespread popularity in the United States.
Bingo became one of the main games to donate to charity because of its popularity as a social game. In the 1930s, churches and charities began hosting bingo games as a way to raise funds for their organizations. Bingo in Ohio provided a fun and easy way for people to support charitable causes while also enjoying a social activity.
Over time, bingo became associated with charitable giving and fundraising, instead of gambling, and many states even passed laws allowing charities to host bingo games to raise money. Today, bingo remains a popular game for charitable fundraising, with proceeds going to a variety of causes including education, health care, and social services.
WCAP BINGO is a charitable bingo in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, that continues to raise funds for countless non-profit organizations, including WCAP Counseling. Dial 614-866-5165 to play with us today!