Bingo Terms

Admission � eligibility of a particular player to participate in a game of bingo.

Admission Packet � refers to the minimum number of cards that a player must buy in order to be admitted to a game. Every bingo hall has their own admission packet requirements. These admission packets usually contain 3 to 6 cards per game.

After game � Refers to any game played after the regular session of a bingo game.

At the beginning � term used to describe the number 1(one). A caller usually uses these terms to confirm the number that has been drawn.

Auto-purchase � is a feature of online bingo halls, where your cards are automatically purchased at the start of each new game.

Ball Gate � A mechanism that all the balls passes on route to the playing area.

Ball Lifter � part of the ball dispensing machine that is used to raise the ball from the playfield to the �ball shooter� tip.

Ball Runaway � Is the narrow channel all balls have to go through in order to get to the main playing field.

Ball Shooter � Part of the ball-dispensing machine that launches the ball into the playing field.

Basket Bingo � a game of bingo where the winners are awarded �basket prizes�.

Bingo Board � is an electronic board that displays the numbers as they are called.

Bingo Booklets � uniquely colored cards that is bound together. They are usually bound in the same order that they will be played. Only one card per game is played.

Bingo card � a numbered card by which the game of bingo is played. The card contains 24 numbered spaces and a blank space. No two cards are the same.

Bingo Marker � a crayon, pen or marker that is used to mark or cover the numbers that are called on the bingo card.

Blackout � a pattern in bingo, where the whole card has to be covered in order to win a game.

Blower � The mechanism that mixes the bingo balls by using forced air.

Breakopen � a multi-ply card made from paper products and contains various perforated tabs.

Bonanza Bingo � a game of bingo that I usually played as the 13th game in a bingo session. In this game, 45 numbers will be drawn before players mark them and sets them aside. This game is available at an extra fee. The sales for that game, determines the jackpot.

Buy-in � refers to converting cash into bingo cards or simply buying an admission packet.

Cage � The enclosure in which the bingo balls are mixed.

Caller � Is the person who calls out the drawn numbers.

Cash-In-Prize � a bingo game where the prize for winning is a cash payout.

Catch-up � refers to the automatic marking of bingo cards in an online bingo hall.

Chat room � a feature of online bingo where you can interact with players by sending and reading messages via a screen or monitor.

Checker � refers to the staff member that verifies the cards of the winning player.

Consolation Prize � is a prize that is offered when there is no winner after a certain amount of calls.

Dauber � a specialized ink filled pen with a tip made of foam that players use to mark the cards. The tip of the daubers marks a square wherever it touches.

Dob cards � also known as a throwaway, Dob cards are disposable bingo cards.

Early Bird Game � Refers to the first game in a session, also called a �warm-up� game.

Face � a single bingo sheet that contains the 24 numbers with a blank space in the centre.

Fingertip Card � Is a metallic or plastic bingo card, a closing shutter is used to track the numbers that are called.

Flimsy, Flimsies � Refers to the bingo cards that are printed on very thin paper sheets, also know as �Throwaways�

Floor person � also known as a checker, this is the person that verifies the cards of the winning player.

Four Corners � a game pattern by which all the number in the corners of your card needs to be covered in order to win.

Free Space � Refers to the square in the center of a bingo card, that does not have an assigned number, also known as a Wild square or Joker.

G.T.I, T.E.D � an electronically operated daubing system that allows multiple packs to be played simultaneously. A rental fee is usually required for this feature.

Game board � Is an electronic board that displays the pattern that is needed in order to win.

Game Room � An online bingo game divides players into different game rooms.

Hard Card � Is a bingo card that is printed on a cardboard like material and lacks flexibility.

Hardway Bingo � refers to a bingo game in a straight line and normally a free space is not used.

Inlaid Card � Is a pre-printed card in 4x4 format, black discs are used to cover the called numbers.

Instant Bingo � Is a ticket containing the word B I N G O, the card faces and the numbers.

Jackpot � The big prize that is awarded for the winner of a game of bingo with a difficult pattern and within a certain amount of balls.

Late bird � a bingo game played after a regular session of bingo.

Late Night Bingo � Also Know as Moonlight Bingo, refers to a game of bingo that is played after 10:00 pm.

Lucky Jar � refers to a jar that contains cash, and is won by a certain lucky number.

Master Board � Refers to the mechanism that is used by the operator to place the balls after a callout, also known as a rack.

Main Stage bingo � the main event in a bingo session. Attracts the most customers and players.

Minimum-Buy-In � refers to the minimum spending amount in order to be eligible for winning prizes.

Money ball � a number that has been pre-drawn and will double a players winnings if that player calls bingo on that particular number.

Multiple Winners � Refers to when two players call Bingo at the exact same time. The prize will thus be divided amongst them.

Mushroom � a set of bingo displays in the shape of a mushroom.

Nicknames � Refers to the way in which the caller announces the drawn bingo numbers.

No Number � a version of bingo in which the numbers are drawn and called up until only one game card remains completely unmarked and a prize is won.

On � When one or more of the cards they are playing is lacking only one number for bingo, the player is said to be �on�.

On the way � refers to the game that is played before the blackout on the same card.

Pattern � a certain shape needed in order to win, this shape can be vertical, horizontal or a straight line.

Parti � is a shorter version for �Participation Bingo�, which is a type of slot or cash bingo where the winning prize is cash and depends on the number of players.

Payout � a percentage of the total sales paid out by the House. The average payout is 75%.

Postage Stamp Pattern � refers to matching 4 numbers in the form of a postage stamp in at least one of the four corners.

Pre-purchase � a feature by which a player can order a game cards in advance.

Progressive Jackpot � a jackpot that gets bigger until it is won.

Pushout card � is a bingo card that contains sections which can be pushed out as the numbers are announced.

Quickie � A bingo game where the numbers are called as quickly as possible and the cards must be filled to win.

Rack � a Mechanism that an operator uses to place each ball after a callout.

Rainbow pack � is a pack of paper cards that allows players to play for 3 or 4 prizes at once.

Reno Night � refers to an evening of casino games, that is sometimes held in bingo halls.
RNG � is a random number generator that picks the numbers automatically.

Serial Number � the number printed on the cards by the manufacturer.

Series � displays the number of unique faces that a particular set may contain.

Session � is an afternoon or evening of bingo games using hard cards that lasts anywhere between 2 and 3 hours.

Shutter Board � a re-usable plastic board containing numbers.

Six-pack, Nine-Pack � refers to 6 or 9 numbers in a block on a card.

Sleeper � a bingo player who realize that an earlier called number could have made him the winner.

Soft Card � a disposable paper card.

Speed Bingo � a game of bingo, where the numbers are called out quickly, and players can win in 3 numbers.

Speed game - a coverall that is usually called very quickly.

Split Pot � refers to a winner that splits the sales of the game with the rest of the bingo hall.

Throwaways � Bingo cards that are printed on very thin sheets of paper.

Validation � Refers to the process of making sure that a player is eligible to win a jackpot.

Wait � The number that a player need to complete a specific pattern and win a game.

Wild Number � refers to a number that is determined by the first number.

Wrap up � The last game of a session.