Despite the fact that historians have traced the origins of bingo all the way back to the 16th century, it is only in the last hundred or so years that it has become the commercial beast that it is today. This is mainly because of an entrepreneurial American businessman called Erwin S. Lowe, who devised the modern universal scorecards used in bingo games all around the world back in the early 20th century. Without his input bingo would have still been played a lot of course, however it wouldn’t have been nearly as commercially successful.
Nowadays bingo has spread across the globe, and due to the emergence of online bingo especially it is played by millions of people every single week. Whilst many people play bingo just for the fun and social element, there are also those of us who play bingo weekly in order to win a handsome prize. Well, most of the time a bingo reward comes in the shape of a huge jackpot prize, however sometimes best bingo games rewards can be a lot funnier. Read on for some funny bingo rewards.
Lingerie and other erotic items
Oh yes, you read that correctly! Although it isn’t exactly that common for bingo rewards to come in the form of lingerie and other erotic items, this is something that people could win back in the mid 2000s. Most people will have at least heard of the popular woman’s lingerie company Ann Summers, however what many people probably won’t realise is the fact that they were briefly owners of their own online bingo site too – AnnSummersBingo.
The website was launched during the 2000s, and although it didn’t actually end up lasting too long, the prizes on offer were quite funny. Bingo players could receive bingo rewards such as a lingerie set, fancy dress or other erotic Ann Summers merchandise.
A cow
If you thought that the funny bingo rewards from AnnSummersBingo were outrageous, just wait until you hear about the prize one New York native got during a bingo game played out in the US countryside. The woman, who wished to stay anonymous, went to a bar with the innocent intention of having a drink and a bite to eat, however when she got there it turned out they were playing one of their weekly bingo games.
Being a bingo fan she entered the game of course, however we’re pretty sure the woman had no idea what would happen next. She ended up winning the bingo game, and the prize on offer was a genuine dairy cow! The cow was donated to a local farmer, but this NYC woman returned to the big smoke with a very funny story to tell indeed.
Branded merchandise
Aside from cash prizes the most common bingo reward to see these days is branded merchandise, and this can come in various different shapes and sizes.
T-shirts, rucksacks, jumpers, hoodies… You name it, there is a bingo reward out there for you.
Story by Lisa Smith