Bingo Terms

Before you jump in head first and start to play bingo games online you really should take a bit of time to understand the terms and jargon used in the bingo halls online to ensure you get the best online bingo experience.

Below we have listed the most popular bingo terms along with their meanings.

Admission - This refers to the eligibility of a person for a session of Bingo.

Admission Packet - The minimum number of cards that a person will have to buy before being granted admission.

Autodaub - Used in online Bingo games, this is an option wherein the computer can already mark off the called numbers in the person's Bingo card.

Bingo - The name of the game, which is also the phrase called out when a person completes the specified pattern. It is also what signifies the end of the game.

Bingo Card - This is the numbered card that is used for playing Bingo. It has 25 numbers in US Bingo on thand a square in the middle with no number called as a free space. In UK Bingo the bingo card has 15 numbers on it.

Bingo Board - An electronic board that displays the numbers that are called.

Bingo Marker - The instrument used to mark off numbers on a Bingo card when a number is called.

Blackout/Coverall - This is a pattern in which a person must mark off all the numbers on the card in order to win.

Caller - This pertains to the person calling out the winning numbers.

Cash-In-Prize – A Bingo game wherein the person who wins will get a cash payout as a prize.

Chat room - This is a unit on the screen wherein the Bingo players can talk to each other and foster interpersonal communication to make the Bingo experience more fun. Various chat room games are also played here.

Consolation Prize – This is offered in the case of having no winner after a certain number of balls have already been drawn and called.

Early Bird - A Bingo game that starts earlier than a regularly scheduled one.

Flimsy/Flimsies - Also called throwaways, these are Bingo cards that are printed on very thin sheets of paper. These are usually used for special games of Bingo.

Four Corners - A Bingo pattern in which the four numbers in the corner of a person's card needs to be marked off in order to win.

Free space - The space in the middle of the US Bingo card.

Hard Card – This is the usual Bingo card, one that is made out of cardboard.

Hardway Bingo – This refers to a Bingo game in which the pattern is in a straight line that does not use a free space.

Jackpot - The largest prize for the current game. It is awarded when a person does the pattern within the predetermined number of balls, referred to as "balls to jackpot".

Lucky Jar – This is a container that holds cash, and is won by a specific lucky number.

Main Stage Bingo – This is the main event during a Bingo session. This happens to be what attracts a lot of players.

Minimum-Buy-In – This pertains to the amount a person would have to spend so as to be eligible for winning prizes.

Money ball – A pre-drawn number that will increase a player's winnings in double if that player achieves Bingo on that certain number.

Moonlight Bingo - Also called Late Night Bingo, this is the kind of Bingo session that starts at around 10:00P.M.

Multiple Winners - This happens when two or more players achieve "Bingo" at the same time. During occurrences such as this, the prize is divided equally amongst the winners.

On – Refers to the circumstance wherein a player is lacking just one more number to get a Bingo.

On The Way - This is the term used to call games that are preliminary to a game wherein blackout is the pattern specified.

Parti - A type of Bingo wherein the prize is cash and the amount of the prize is dependent upon the number of players during that certain session.

Pattern - The arrangement in which the numbers called out must appear on your card. The pattern is usually in a straight line, either vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.

Payout - The percentage given away by the Bingo Hall as prizes.

Progressive Jackpot - A jackpot that gets bigger and bigger until it is won.

Rainbow pack – This is a pack of a couple of cards allowing the player to play for 3 or 4 different prize denominations at the same time.

Session – This refers to an evening or afternoon of Bingo games. This usually lasts between 2 to 3 hours.

Split Pot - This pertains to a winner that shares the sales of the game with the rest of the Bingo house.

Quickie – This is a game in which the numbers are called as fast as possible. The cards must be filled in order for a person to win.

Validation - This is the process that determines the eligibility of a player to win the jackpot prize.

Warm-up - This pertains to the first game in a session of Bingo. Sometimes, this is a game played even before a session starts.

Wrap-up - This is the last game in a session of Bingo.