Bingo is more of a game of chance than skills and the only element of skill in the game lies in the ability of how fast the participant or the player searches the number called by the caller in the shortest possible time before the next number is called. There are different versions of this game played in different countries like it is called Bingo in UK, while a very similar game called “Housie” is played in India, Australia and New Zealand. The game differs only in ticket layout and calling.

It was all started from Italian lottery. It was those days when Italy was united in 1530. At that time the lottery known as “Lo Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia” came into existence. Since it’s beginning, this weekly lottery has been held every Saturday. The effect was so much that by the year 1778, it spreads like fire to France catching the attention and creating curiosity amongst the people for this game. Thus the popular version of the Lottery was born.

At that time this version of the game was played with cards, which were divided into 3 horizontal rows and 9 vertical columns. Each horizontal row consists of a total of nine squares, 5 square with numbers and four blank squares arranged randomly in a row while the vertical columns had 10 numbers each. Column one contained the numbers from 1-10, while column two contained the numbers 11-20 and so on up to column nine which contained 81-90. The total numbers from 1-90 etched on wooden chips were placed in a bag in order to select and called one at a time. All the players or participants having unique lotto card mark off the number on their cards called by caller. The first player who covers the horizontal row becomes the winner.

Starting from Italy, the popularity of the game took it to the America via carnival pitchman who was on tour to Germany. There he explored the potential of the game as carnival tent game and made some amendments in the game by allowing players to play for horizontal, vertical and diagonal row in order to complete it to win the game. He gave the name ‘BEANO’ to the game.

A traveling toy salesman, Edwin S. Lowe early for a sales call, decided to stop at the Beano tent in the carnival, which was the only tent open. It was so crowded with people that he himself was not able to play the game. The only thing Lowe could do is to watch the players curiously who were waiting for the next number to be called and if they found the number on their card, they covered it using the bean. The excitement and interest in the crowd was self-evident. If the participants or the players complete the row by covering it with beans, they use to shout “BEANO”. Lowe was taken by surprised when the owner of the Beano tent tried to close the tent several times but couldn’t close it due to increasing number of players insisting not to close the game. It was only at 3.00 AM in the morning that the tent owner could close but that too after forcefully chasing the players away.