Bingo Lingo – Common Terms
ADMISSION PACKET
An Admission Packet is the minimum number of cards or paper packs that must be purchased to take part in the game. Six to twelve cards usually comprise the admission packet for every regular, and sometimes, special game. The content and price of an Admission Packet varies across different bingo halls.
AUDITRACK™
Enables the game operator to determine how many sheets each seller has been allotted and how many sheets have been sold.
BINGO
Bingo is a specific game of chance in which participants use cards, paper sheets, or card minding device representations thereof, divided into horizontal and vertical spaces, each of which is designated by a letter and a number, and prizes are awarded on the basis of the letters and numbers on the card conforming to a predetermined and preannounced configuration of letters and numbers selected at random.
BINGO BALLS
Originally made of wood; bingo balls are now made of plastic and are similar to ping pong balls. They come in sets of 75 and are mixed in a console or blower chamber to randomly select numbers for the caller..
BINGO CONSOLE/MACHINE
A wood or metal cabinet, consisting of a blower chamber and a master board, used to operate a bingo game. Device with a receptacle, or hopper, for the unselected bingo balls, a blower for selecting the balls, and a ball tray that contains seventy-five holes in which to place the ball once it is called. Some people call them desks.
BINGO EVENT GAME
An event game means a type of pull-tab game, with or without a seal card, that is designed by the manufacturer so that certain prizes are determined by the draw of a bingo ball.
BINGO PAPER PACK OR BINGO BOOKLET
A bingo paper pack or booklet means a group of specific numbered bingo paper sheets of different colors that are manufactured and collated together all containing the same number of faces (ON’s) to be played for each game at a bingo session. They are bound in the order in which they will be played.
BLOWER
A forced-air device that mixes the bingo balls and dispenses them to the caller who announces the number and displays it on a bingo board.
BONANZA BINGO
Bonanza bingo is a progressive coverall Jackpot that is usually played as the 13th game of the session. Forty-five numbers are drawn before the session and players mark them on separate cards and set aside. There is an additional fee to play this game, usually $1. The countdown for a bonanza game begins at 48 numbers or less and goes up one number per week to 52 numbers or until won. The amount of the jackpot is determined by card sales for that game.
BOOK
Two (2) or more sheets glued together. Can be either in straight goods or collations.
BREAK OPEN
A multi-ply card, made completely from paper or paper products, with perforated break open tab or tabs. These perforated tabs cover a series of numbers or symbols which determine whether any particular ticket is a winner or non-winner. A break open is another name for a pull tab, instant bingo ticket, tear-offs, pickles, cherries, lucky 7’s, peel-offs, bell jars, Nevada’s or club tickets.
BUY-IN
The price charged for a “Packet” of bingo paper for an event’s play. Different buy-in levels are offered based on the player’s ability to play (and pay). Buy-in levels consist of different packets of early birds, regular session, specials and nite owls.
The person who randomly “calls” balls in the play of bingo. He/she usually sits above the crowd so that he or she can be seen by everyone.
CARD / FACE
A card containing 24 numbered spaces and one free space (blank or it will have a number or the words: “free space”), with which you play BINGO. The numbers are assigned at random on each card and are arranged in five columns of five numbers each by five rows (5 x 5 = 25 total including the free space). The numbers in the B column are between 1 and 15, in the I column between 16 and 30, in the N column (containing four numbers and the free space) between 31 and 45, in the G column between 46 and 60, and in the O column between 61 and 75. Players have thousands of unique (unduplicated) cards from which to choose. The majority of bingo cards used today is disposable and printed on newsprint type of paper. Hard cards are available but are not commonly used today.
CARD MINDING DEVICE
A card minding device means any mechanical, electronic, electromechanical, or computerized device that is interfaced with or connected to equipment used to conduct a game of bingo and that allows a player to store, display, and mark a bingo card face.
CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION
Any religious, benevolent, educational, fraternal, veteran, service, non-profit medical, volunteer rescue, volunteer fire, senior citizen or youth athletic organization that is exempt from the payment of federal income tax under section 501(a) and listed in section 501c3, c4, c8, c10 or c19 of the Internal Revenue Code.
CHIPS
Small round plastic discs used in the old days to cover called numbers on hard cards.
COIN BOARD / MERCHANDISE BOARD
A coin board/merchandise board is a game board that contains coins or merchandise as prizes and is played in conjunction with instant bingo or pull tab tickets. In addition to instant cash winners, the pull tab tickets may designate a winner on the coin or merchandise board. The prize associated with that number is awarded to the ticket holder.
COLLATIONS
A tablet or pad of bingo sheets arranged in a specific color sequence. Provides game operators an easy method of supplying players with different cards for a selected group of games. Each game of the session can have its own color sheet. Collations can be obtained in either a standard rotation or a customized rotation.
COMMON SERIAL NUMBER
The number printed on the “N” of each bingo face to identify that particular set. They are used to keep unauthorized paper out of a game. UniMax® bingo paper has a single unique serial number for each set of paper.
CONSOLATION PRIZE
The prize or prizes offered on some special games if there is no winner in a predetermined number of calls.
COVER-ALL / BLACKOUT
A big money or jackpot bingo game usually played late in a bingo session which requires the player to cover all 24 squares on a bingo face to win. Usually 50 to 60 of the 75 bingo numbers have to be called to cover all the numbers on a card, but coveralls in as few as 43 numbers have been recorded (Same as blackout).
CUT
Indicates the direction that a sheet of faces will be cut from the master sheet. A cut can be either square, horizontal or vertical. For instance, a 3 ON Vertical cut is 3 faces arranged one over the other in a “top-to-bottom” format. A 3 ON Horizontal cut is 3 faces arranged in a “side-by-side” format.
DABBER / DAUBER
A bingo dauber is an ink-filled bottle/pen with a foam tip on it used to mark called numbers. When you touch the bingo card with the foam tip it marks the square. Other names for daubers are dabbers or ink makers.
DEAL / BOX
The small boxes inside a case of pull tabs. The case may be packed in 2 deals or more per case depending upon the number of tickets in the deal. A deal is each separate game or series of pull tabs that has the same serial number.
A short bingo session (2-8 games) placed prior to the regular session, used by the bingo operator to get players to the hall well in advance of the start of play. Small prizes are usually awarded.
FACE
Is the individual Bingo sheet containing 24 numbers plus the consecutively numbered center free space in the middle.
FLARE CARD
The flare card is a card or poster included with each deal of instant bingo or pull tab tickets. A flare card will include the name of the game, the form number, the serial number of the game, and the cost per ticket or per play. The flare also explains how a game plays and what the winning symbols and associated prizes are.
FLASHBOARD
An electronic board (sign) displayed in a bingo hall that is used with a console and contains 75 numbers which can be lit up after the caller “calls” the number.
FLOOR-WORKER
A person who assists in the play of a bingo game to keep it operating smoothly. He/she usually works a section of the floor selling pull tabs or is used to call back or verify a winning bingo.
FREE SPACE
The center square of the card, which does not have a number assigned to it. It’s like a Joker or a Wild square. You get it free every game and it counts towards your winning pattern.
FREE SPACE NUMBER
Allows you to verify the winning face in a Bingo Verification Checkbook or with our electronic Verifier System. This number will run consecutively through the series; a 1-9,000 series will have free space numbers from 1 to 9,000.
GAME PATTERN
Refers to a combination of squares which are required to be covered in order to win a bingo game. For example: The letter “X” game pattern tells players that they must cover both diagonal rows to win.
HARD CARD
A hard card is a reusable card bearing a bingo face or faces usually played using plastic chips.
HARD-WAY BINGO
A hard-way bingo is a bingo pattern in a straight line without the use of the free space.
INSET
The reverse side of a ticket face that reveals the various symbol combinations when the tabs or windows are opened.
INSTANT
A game of chance similar to a pull-tab except that an instant game does not utilize a seal card. There are no holders; all winners are paid out instantly.
JACKPOT
A big prize, usually awarded for achieving a difficult pattern (such as a blackout), within a specified number of balls.
JAR TICKET
A carnival or gaming ticket printed on lightweight paper, folded and held by a strip of colored tape, containing numerals or symbols. They are usually sold in a cookie jar-like bin.
A short bingo session (2-8 games) placed prior to the regular session, used by the bingo operator to get players to the hall well in advance of the start of play. Small prizes are usually awarded.
LOOSE
Jar Ticket product that is not stapled together in bundles.
LOOSE PAPER
Bingo paper not collated into books or pads and sold individually. Loose paper is also called paper “specials”.
LUCKY JAR / COOKIE JAR
The Lucky Jar or Cooking Jar is a container with cash. You win the contents of the Lucky Jar if you bingo on the lucky number. The lucky number is usually the first number called at the beginning of a session. Money is added to the jar every time the lucky number is called or if the caller makes a mistake in announcing the game. Usually, you can win the lucky jar only on regular games. There is no lucky number in play on special throw-away games.
MATCHING SERIAL NUMBER
Indicates that every section of the set carries an identical serial number.
MINIMUM BUY-IN
The least amount you must spend to be eligible for prizes.
MONEY BALL
A number drawn before the game that will double a player’s winnings if bingo is hit on that number.
MOONLIGHT BINGO
Session of bingo that starts late at night, usually about 10:00 pm.
MULTIPLE WINNERS
Multiple winners are when two or more players bingo at the same time. When this happens, the cash prize is divided among them. For example, if there are five winners on a $500 game, they each receive $100.
NAFTM SEAL
National Association Of Fundraising Ticket Manufacturers. The black and yellow seal on each deal of pull tabs. This means that the pull tab has been approved by the association. If the seal is broken, the box could be tampered with and it should not be sold.
CUT
Indicates the direction that a sheet of faces will be cut from the master sheet. A cut can be either square, horizontal or vertical. For instance, a 3 ON Vertical cut is 3 faces arranged one over the other in a “top-to-bottom” format. A 3 ON Horizontal cut is 3 faces arranged in a “side-by-side” format.
NICKNAMES
This is a way of announcing or repeating the Bingo number drawn in a humorous way. In a crowded, noisy room, it also helps to confirm the number called. Bingo play using nicknames persisted in British Bingo halls until faster computer draws replaced air-blown balls.
NITE OWL
A bingo session (2-8 games) used by the operator to allow the “Bingo Junke” to stay after the regular session and spend money. Small prizes are awarded.
OFF CUT
Refers to faces that cannot be cut from the master sheet in the desired ON. For instance, if the master sheet is a 24 ON Vertical and you order a 9 ON sheet, the result will be two (2) 9 ON cuts equaling 18 faces and an OFF CUT totaling six (6) faces to complete the 24 faces on the sheet.
ONS
Refers to the number of bingo faces per sheet. Example: A 9 ON would have 9 faces per sheet.
Consist of a number of bingo paper UPS and SPECIALS. They are used by the operator to lure players into the hall. A “package deal” for the player.
PADDED
Some bingo paper is ordered in “padded” form, usually in books of 25. Padded paper is used because it provides more control than loose paper. Sold in 1 color – full series.
PATTERN
The shape you need to cover on your card with called-out numbers. You only need the numbers that form the pattern to win the game. The most basic patterns are straight lines in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction. One popular pattern is the “blackout” or “coverall,” where you have to cover the whole card to win.
PAYOUT
The percentage of sales paid out by the House. This compares with a payout of approximately 45 percent on state lottery games.
PERCENTAGE GAME
A stand-along bingo game where the operator sells for that game only (not part of the packet). The proceeds from the sale are split between the winner and the house 50-50 or 60-40.
POPP-ETTES™ / ROCK-ETTES™
A small one-window pull tab. Also known as a stamp or tabbie.
POSTAGE STAMP PATTERN
Matching four numbers to form a postage stamp (a 2 x 2 grid) in any of the four corners.
PROGRESSIVE GAME
A progressive game is a seal card game with a designated jackpot that, if not won, is carried forward and added to the Jackpot of the subsequent deals of the game until the jackpot is won.
PROGRESSIVE JACKPOT
A Jackpot that gets bigger until it is won. It builds daily, weekly, or monthly if it is not won in a specific number of calls. If there is no winner in X number of calls, consolation prize(s) of lesser dollar amounts are paid. Different variations of progressive games add dollars or numbers, or both, to the jackpot. There is usually a separate buy-in for Progressive Jackpot games.
PULL-TAB/POPP-OPEN
A pull-tab/popp-open is a game of chance using a folded or banded paper ticket, or a paper card with perforated break-open tabs, the face of which is covered or otherwise hidden from view to conceal a number, letter, symbol or set of numbers, letters or symbols, some of which have been designated in advance as prize winners and shall include tickets that utilize a seal card. Pull-tabs are commonly known as tickets, break opens, popp-opens or charity game tickets.
PUSHOUT
A bingo face printed on heavy paper stock that has been die-cut allowing the numbers to be folded when called. Pushouts can be reused.
QUICKIE
(Also known as a Lightning or Speed game.) A very fast paced game usually played early in the session on single cards. Small prizes are usually awarded.
RAFFLE
A raffle is a game of chance in which a participant is required to purchase a ticket for a chance to win a prize, with the winner to be determined by a random drawing.
REGULAR SESSION
Just as the name indicates, the regular session is the main attraction consisting of anywhere between 10 and 20 games and usually has the big jackpot as the last game in order to “hold” the crowd.
A heavy paper card used in the play of pull tabs, jar tickets, tip boards and coinboards. A seal card is a board or placard used in conjunction with charity game tickets, that contains a seal or seals which, when removed or opened, reveal predesignated winning numbers, letters, or symbols. These Pull-Tab games include instant winners, but further the chance to win through utilizing “holders.” Holders are generally red 00’s or 13’s. Once the box of tickets is completely sold, the game operator opens the seals(s). The person(s) holding the number that appears under the seal will win the indicated price.
SERIAL NUMBER
The number printed on the “N” of each bingo face to identify that particular set. They are used to keep unauthorized paper out of the game.
SERIES
A series indicates the number of unique faces that a single set will contain. For example: a 9,000 SERIES has 9,000 unique faces.
SESSION
An entire evening or daytime program of bingo consisting of regular games usually played on hard cards and special games played on throwaways, flimsies or paper sheets. A session usually lasts between two and three hours.
SET
A set refers to 9,000 bingo faces in bingo paper numbered in sequence and uniform color.
SIX-PACK, NINE-PACK
Six or nine numbers in a block on one bingo card.
SLIP SHEET
(Wax sheet) A sheet of paper containing wax strips used to divide the tablets of collated paper into books after it is glued.
SPECIAL
Games that usually are played with a different set of cards than the pack purchased at admission.
SPEED BINGO
Speed bingo is a variation of regular bingo. Numbers are called very quickly and you can bingo in as few as three numbers. Speed bingo is usually played before or after a regular session.
STAMP
A one-window pull tab. Also known as Popp-Ettes™ or Tabbies.
STAPLED
A term used for jar tickets when 3, 4 or 5 of them are stapled together.
STRAIGHT GOODS
Paper which is cut to specification and is usually sold one color to the case. It may be either loose or padded.
TEAR-OPENS
(Bonanza™) Single bingo faces that are folded and sealed preventing the face from being seen until it is sold and “torn-open”. A tear-open or bonanza game is usually the big $ jackpot game.
UP
Refers to the number of sheets that are used to make your bingo book. For example, a 10 UP indicates that the book has 10 sheets of bingo paper.
U-PIK-EM
(Lucky Seven) A two-part NCR (no carbon required) form used by players to pick their own numbers for a special bingo game. Players retain the top copy, turning in the second copy before the start o the game so that it can be used later for winner verification.
VALIDATION
Eligibility required to win additional jackpot amounts. Price varies by number of cards played.
WARM UP
A short bingo session (2-4 games) used to get the player warmed up. Small prizes are usually awarded.
WILD NUMBER
Wild number is played on a double bingo that leads into a triple bingo. The first number out of the hopper determines the wild number. For example, if 42 is drawn, all numbers ending in 2 should be marked off.
WINNER TAKES ALL
A stand-along bingo game (not part of the regular session) played toward the end of the evening where cards are sold for play and all money raised in their sale will be given back as the prize.
WRAP UP
The name of the last game of a session.