Bingo is one of the most popular games all over the world. However, not many people know about the history behind the game. It originally started in United States and was referred to as ‘Beano’. It could usually be found at boardwalks and country fairs. The caller, as they know him today, would randomly draw numbers from some kind of a box, commonly a cigar box. The paying customers would then cover the numbers on their cards with the beans. The player would shout ‘Beano’ if there was a winning combination on the card. During those times, the horizontal straight lines were the only winning combinations known.

The game was introduced in Italy in the year 1530 and was known as ‘Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia’ signifying Italian Bingo. The game is still being played on every Saturday. After its inception in Italy, the game was then introduced in France in the year 1770. The French referred to the game as ‘Le Lotto’. This was more of a wealthy man’s game in France. After its overwhelming success in Italy and France, it was adopted by the professors in Germany for teaching purposes. Students could relate well with the bingo cards, especially for subjects such as Maths, Spelling and History. The teachers would use a different version of the game for each of these subjects. Bingo was introduced in United States in the year 1929 and the ‘Beano’ version was originally played in Atlanta, Georgia.

A toy salesman called Edwin Lowe felt an opportunity coming his way, while watching several games in the carnival. From that point onwards, he started hosting games with the help of tiny cardboard cards as well as rubber stamps. One of the players, during one such game, screamed ‘bingo’ instead of the word ‘Beano’. Being a New York native, Lowe was extremely excited about the term and thereafter renamed it as ‘bingo’. He started selling the game in two different ways, one of which would cost $1 for 12 cards or $2 for 24 cards. He then hired another professor from the Columbia University, so as to introduce newer sequences on the cards. The duo came up with more than 6000 different cards.

Thereafter, some catholic priest approached Lowe to find out means to raise funds through these cards. Bingo was then spread all across United States, after Lowe gave his consent to the church. After 1934, it was reported that over 10000 bingo games were played per week. At the moment, it has been estimated that Bingo sales gross over 90 million in United States itself.

Roulette is a game based on chance.  It is popular in casinos and gets the name Roulette from the French word meaning “small wheel”.  The game is fairly easy to play with few rules.  Roulette as we now know it first gained popularity in 18th century Europe.  The U.S. game consists of a small wheel with 38 numbers on it, while the European version has 37 numbers.  It has since spread around the world and a Roulette wheel can be found in almost every gaming site.

To play, gamers place bets on an odd or even number, a specific number, a range of numbers, or a color of either red or black.  The American Roulette wheel contains numbers 1-36 in alternating red and black.  There are also two green spaces, on containing a 0 and the other a 00.  Gamblers place a marker on the game board the number or numbers they want to bet on, for example red 22 or black 11.

Bets can be placed according to the corresponding game board.  There are a number of ways to bet.  A straight-up bet is a bet placed on a single number.  A split is a bet placed on two numbers that are side-by-side on the game board.  A street is a bet placed on three numbers in a horizontal line on the board, while a corner is a bet placed on four numbers in a square pattern.  A bet placed on two adjoining streets is called a six line.  Lastly, a trio is the bet placed on the intersection of a 0, 1 and 2 or the 00, 2 and 3.

To determine the winner, a person referred to as a croupier, spins the wheel in one direction and a small ball in the opposite direction on a slanted track the runs the entire circumference of the wheel.  The ball eventually stops on one of the grooves within a number, and a winner is identified.  The bets that have been placed now belong to whoever chose the correct number.

Texas Hold’em: There are many types and variations of poker, but the game of Texas Hold’em is probably the most popular in the U.S. and possibly the most popular poker game in the world.  The game itself is fairly easy.  It can be played with anywhere from two to ten people.  The game starts with a dealer dealing two face-down cards to each player.  Through the next four rounds, the dealer deals five community cards that each player may play off of.  Each player, depending on the cards they have in their hand and on the table, decide if they want to keep betting if they want quit the hand, known as folding.  At the end of the game the player with the highest hand, the best combination of five cards using both the cards in the player’s hand and the community cards, wins.

Five Card Draw: Five card draw can be played with between two and five players.  It is one of the oldest poker variations.  Each player receives five cards and after the first round each player may discard or replace up to five cards in hopes of achieving the best hand.  At the end of the game the player with the highest hand wins.

Omaha: Omaha Hi is similar to Texas Hold’em.  It can be played with two to ten players as well.  Instead of being dealt two cards, each player receives four cards.  The dealer then deals the five community cards.  The best hand must be comprised of two cards they hold in their hand and three community cards.  Omaha 8 is similar to Omaha Hi, but players may also bet on making the best five-card low hand.

There are other variations as well, but these are typically the top three that are played in the U.S.