National Bingo Day Timeline

2010s

Bingo goes mobile

Like thousands of other games, Bingo has found a home on mobile devices — allowing players to enjoy Bingo around the clock from the palm of their hand. Popular games include Bingo Bash and Bingo Blitz. Fort Mason Games’ "Lucky Scratch" takes Bingo to a new level — allowing users to play live Bingo games with others across the globe — and actually win real cash prizes without having to pay to play. The game is ad-supported so now everyone can enjoy Bingo and experience the chance to win a jackpot for free.

1990s

"Drag Bingo"

A Seattle nonprofit supporting people with AIDS began staging Bingo games to raise funds. Drag queens dressed as nuns hosted the event — which proved enormously successful.

1929

"Beano"

Toymaker Edwin Lowe discovered people playing a game called Beano at a carnival outside Atlanta. Competitors used dried beans, a rubber stamp, and cardboard sheets. Lowe, whose company went on to produce the dice game, Yahtzee, helped Bingo gain nationwide attention. Lowe apparently renamed it after overhearing someone accidentally yell "Bingo" instead of "Beano."

1778

"Le Lotto"

This French game gently pushed Bingo into the modern era by featuring a card with 27 numbers (nine columns and three rows). The numbers, at the time, ranged from one to 90. Only wealthy people played at first, but the game soon spread across the country.