An Introduction to Bingo
In the past, bingo was played in county fairs and referred to as "beano". The caller picks up the numbers from a cigar box and players use beans to mark the numbers on their card. When a player wins, he or she shouts "Beano". Beano was renamed to bingo by accident when a player yelled Bingo by mistake and somehow, the name stuck.
Beano can be traced as far back to the 14th century in Europe where it was a common pastime amongst the wealthy. Bingo was particularly popular first in Italy, then in France. The game later spread and soon, children were playing bingo for educational purposes. In the 1920's, a couple of men, Lowe and Leffler, further developed and diversified the game such that over 6000 cards were made available as the game become more and more popular. Today, bingo is played all over the world by people of different ages. While traditional bingo is still played with cards and markers, the Internet has seen a growth in online bingo games for both fun and money.
Online bingo is no different from the traditional bingo. Cards are bought online and just like regular bingo, the player who gets to cover the predetermined pattern on the card first wins. Human interaction is still present at online bingo. Players can chat with one another - grumble about one's cards, congratulate the winner or simply to ask about the weather.
Playing online bingo for free is a great start if you are new to the game from a particular provider. This lets you get used to the mechanism and quirks of the program before you try your luck at actual betting. You can then graduate to the more thrilling experience of playing for cash. The system is the same as the free games, the only difference is the stakes are now for real.
One last word before you begin, do note that a certain decorum is observed to ensure that the bingo games are fun for everyone. Like with any social event, it is important to remember your manners. Courtesy and respect should be accorded to the other players as well as to the host despite the virtual distance. Some players may be offended by crude remarks so keep chatting genial. Notes of congratulations are aplenty and the next round of "way to go" or "good game" may be headed your way.
Enjoy the game!
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