Bingo (game)
Bingo is a popular game that originated in the United States during the 1930s, stemming from an earlier game called "beano." Edwin Lowe, who created Bingo, discovered this lively game while visiting a carnival, where players eagerly participated by matching numbers on their cards with those called out by a pitchman. After witnessing the excitement of the players, Lowe developed his own version of the game, which gained its name when a winning player exclaimed "Bingo!" during a trial run. The game quickly became commercially successful, with sets sold for one to two dollars.
Initially, Bingo was met with some controversy, particularly from religious communities concerned about its impact on fundraising efforts. In response, Lowe collaborated with mathematician Carl Leffler to create a larger variety of Bingo cards, allowing for more players and increasing the game's popularity. By 1934, Bingo had become a staple in American entertainment, with thousands of games played weekly, even in movie theaters, as a means to attract audiences. Despite regulatory challenges due to its gambling associations, Bingo's cultural and financial influence continued to grow throughout the 1930s, making it a significant part of social gatherings in various communities.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Bingo (game)
Game in which players try to match five numbers in a row on a square card to numbered balls selected randomly
Bingo had a major impact on the recreational culture of the 1930’s. The game was immediately successful because of two main factors: Bingo allowed Americans to participate in a game that required little to no payment, and it presented the possibility of winning a prize.
Edwin Lowe, the creator of Bingo, stumbled upon the game by accident. While on a business trip, Lowe stopped at a carnival. Most of the carnival was shutting down; however, Lowe noticed a booth at which participants were playing a game called “beano.” This early version of Bingo was played with a pitchman who called out numbers printed on wooden discs. Players used cards with numbers made by rubber stamps. Lowe noticed the enthusiasm of the people as they won the game. He began to construct his own version. In one early trial of the game’s commercial viability, a woman became so excited about winning the game that she stammered “Bingo!” The name stuck, and Lowe released Bingo at one dollar to two dollars a game, depending on how many cards came with the set.
Just a month after Bingo was released, a priest from Pennsylvania complained to Lowe that the game was causing financial problems in his church. The priest had originally planned to use Bingo as a way to raise funds; but because the game could only have up to twenty-four cards, there could be up to ten winners. As a result, Lowe hired Carl Leffler, a mathematics professor, to create six thousand Bingo cards without repeated number groupings. Once Leffler completed this task, many more religious congregations held weekly Bingo meetings because of the profit involved.
Impact
Bingo had a significant financial and cultural impact on the United States during the 1930’s. By 1934, ten thousand Bingo games were played on a weekly basis. It was also played in movie theaters. Movie theater owners used “Bingo night” as a way to lure customers. Because of Bingo’s ties to gambling, judiciary measures across the country were taken in order to control “bank night,” another name for Bingo. Nonetheless, the game continued to thrive throughout most of the 1930’s.
Bibliography
Currell, Susan. The March of Spare Time: The Problem and Promise of Leisure in the Great Depression. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005.
Dulles, Foster Rhea. A History of Recreation: America Learns to Play. New York: Meredith, 1965.
Kaye, Marvin. The Story of Monopoly, Silly Putty, Bingo, Twister, Frisbee, Scrabble, Et Cetera. New York: Stein and Day, 1973.