We all have our own ideas on psychic ability – the very fact that every lottery winner exclaims their shock and surprise when they pocket a fortune in a Euro Millions jackpot certainly tells us a great deal as to their own powers of fortune telling. The same can be said for online bingo, which has revolutionised the nation’s favourite game and cemented its place at the top of our recreational tree. As it goes from strength to strength, it is worth looking at just how far it has come, and posing that inscrutable question – where next?

From it’s inception as a simple Italian lottery (tying in rather appropriately with the above musings regarding fortune-telling) bingo has crossed boundaries and conquered worlds. Played universally across the globe, the game is now enjoyed by millions on a daily basis, but as with every long-running recreational activity it has evolved markedly. After all, football began with players able to run with the ball in their hands who were allowed by rule to kick players in the shins!

While bingo has never been so violent (although there are probably hall-goers across the land who might have occasion to disagree) the game has changed, although less in the form of rules and regulations – apart from the 75-ball and 90-ball split – and more in the guise of the surroundings in which it was enjoyed.

During its emergence as a nationally enjoyed game, it was the trenches of the Great War that the game really burgeoned as troops sought to occupy their spare time with affordable and sociable means. As this gave rise to bingo halls and events, the popularity spread and, with the advent of the Internet, positively took off. No longer had people to traverse through the wind and rain to the halls, and instead they could enjoy their favourite game from the comfort of their own home.

With this new found adoration it is no surprise that bingo began its foray into the realm of mobile gaming – a journey that is still evolving. Bingo cruises became available, combining the joy of traveling to exotic, distant lands during the day and meeting exciting, unusual people in the bingo hall in the evening.

As impossible as it is to predict the future there are already trends that can highlight the next big step for bingo: the world of 3D. Consumers can already wirelessly connect their PC up to their television, meaning that should they enjoy the new 3D home-viewing experience proposed by Sky (among others) they could in actual fact find themselves within the game itself! Second Life and other virtual-world games could only complement this scenario, to the degree that it would not be virtual money that players were heading for but actual money in a virtual-world. The future (of bingo software), it seems, is indeed upon us.

There was a popular lottery game played before Bingo as we know it today, it was called Lo Giuco di Lotto d’Italia. It was believed to be the ancestor of the Bingo game. The lottery can be traced back in 16th century as it was the time when the game speedily spread over Europe and became an overnight gambling sensation for most of the gambling houses due to its simplicity and non-complex rules when it comes to numbers and winnings.

However, popular as it is now, the name “Bingo” is a misnomer of “Beano”. Originally, the game Beano was the most popular number game in 1929 as observed by a salesman. In the excitement of the player who has won, he or she will exclaim the name “Beano” to signal his/her victory. The salesman introduced the game to his friends. But, there was one player who has shouted the word “Bingo” instead of the name Beano. Such was the start of the new game!

Bingo can be played using a card with numbers on it; the card is sold and each player should buy one or as many as they want to be able to play the lottery-like game. The upper portion of the card shows the letters B-I-N-G-O with corresponding numbers underneath each letter. British bingo uses numbers from 0-90 while American bingo has 0-75.

A player can win if he/she can form a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line of numbers which are randomly drawn by the dealer every game. If one can have either line of numbers, he/she must shout out loud the word “BINGO” to alert others that he/she has won. The numbers will be validated and price will be awarded; it could be in cash or in kind. The good thing about this game is that the players can convene about the price.

Obviously, this is a game of luck! Numbers play the important role in making the game successful and full of fun.