Bingo is one of the most loved games not just in the casino, but practically in the neighborhood or in the living room of a house. Bingo, while being a chance to win prizes big or small, is generally treated by players as a way to interact and socialize with other gamblers.

Just like everything, bingo has origins. It started life as a lotto game in Italy. This game was called the “Lo Gioco del Lotto d’Italia.” Bingo is actually a very old game, with its progenitor created during the 1530s. It became such a hit in Italy that it was eventually imported to France. The French made use of a playing card that can be considered the ancestor of the modern bingo card. This card, however, consisted only of nine columns and three rows as opposed to the five-column, five-row design of today’s cards. The French card also had four free spaces in every row.

Aside from those differences, French bingo worked the same as today’s Bingo albeit simpler. The goal is to complete a whole row, and then you can win a prize. The game is also ruled by numbers, with the number reaching up to 90 in the French version.

The game was simple, and soon it was popular all over Europe during the earlier part of the millennium. In France, it was only played by the members of the higher classes of society. Soon enough it found its way in the other parts of the continent and was gradually adapted by people from all walks of life. It was even modified in Germany during the 19th century. This version, however, was not made to gamble. It was in fact created for children, as a way for them to learn subjects like math, spelling and even history.

It was not until the recent century that bingo found its way to the United States. It had its debut in 1929 at a country fair. Back then, its moniker was “beano.” This is because of the fact that players used dried beans to mark their cards each time a number is called out. Just like French bingo, one has to complete a pattern in order to win. Winning was signified by raising one’s hand and yelling out, “Beano!”

So how did beano become “bingo” as we know it today?

During the fair, a man named Edwin S. Lowe who liked the game so much that he introduced it to friends in his neighborhood. It became an instant hit. In one of these games, one player who was ecstatic of her win yelled out “bingo!” instead of “beano” due to excitement. Lowe, hearing the mistake, decided to coin the name for his game and eventually set out to promote and develop the game.

With the help of math instructor Carl Leffler, Lowe created 6000 bingo cards with different number combinations, a project that was completed in 1930. Lowe’s version of the game debuted at a charity event for a Pennyslvanian church, and the rest is history.

By now, you should already know the difference between non download bingo and download bingo. The two online bingo services offer their own set of advantages and disadvantages, benefits and limitations Of course, regardless of what you pick, you will still enjoy the perks of playing bingo online. However, choosing the right one for you will definitely heighten the bingo playing experience, so the decision on whether to choose one or the other is important. So how do you know which of the following to choose?

When should you choose non download bingo?

Non download bingo is the preferred choice for people who choose not to play bingo in a specific computer. This is because non download bingo is browser based; you can play it as long as you have internet connection. Playing through a non download bingo is just like signing in on to your email account; just key in your username and password and you are all set. This set up works for people who are on the go and are using more than one computer. Downloading the program for the bingo service is not hard at all, but you can’t do this every time you want to play bingo.

Needless to say, this is a more discreet way of playing bingo in venues and locations where it may not be so apt. For instance, you cannot possibly install a bingo program on your work computer. With non download bingo, you don’t have to. As long as you have a working internet connection and an internet browser, you can play your bingo. You can even play the game in gadgets with smaller capacities such as netbooks or handhelds. Netbooks and handhelds have limited memory and capacity for such programs, but they can load pretty much anything online.

That said, do remember that non download bingo often has a simpler interface. This can be seen as an advantage, but it can also be a disadvantage as well. People who prefer simplistic layouts and controls will love non download bingo. Those who prefer a little sophistication, however, may be disappointed. Download bingo has more power and capacity since it is program-based. In terms of services and flexibility, non download bingo has no match against its program-based counterpart. However, as you can imagine, download bingo needs a base computer. If you travel a lot and usually depend on Internet cafes to do your surfing, this option isn’t the most practical for you.

Of course, non download bingo service providers do offer some of the functions download bingo offers. Besides, most of the functions are merely add-ons anyway and do not really interfere with the game play of the bingo games anyway. But then, these add-ons can be extremely practical.

Just the same, both non download and download bingo offer the same thing—bingo. The interface may be the different and the features may greatly vary, but the core of both game venue remain intact. You can expect entertainment and enjoyment either way.