Glossary

September 18, 2009 / admin /

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Admission Packet – A collection of cards that must be purchased in order to enter a game of bingo at a casino or other land based bingo hall. Considered to be the admissions price for that particular game. Packets generally hold anywhere from 3 to 6 cards and may contain extras needed to play. Varies by establishment.

Ball Runway – This is the part of a bingo ball machine that the ball passes through when it is launched by the ball shooter into the main area of play.

Ball Shooter – A spring loaded device, usually a rubber tipped plunger, in a bingo ball machine which will launch the ball into the play area.

Bingo Board – A board that will display the numbers called during a given bingo game either as a digital read out for online games or via electronic lights in a land based game.

Blackout – Known also as Coverall, this is a form of bingo that requires players to cover the entire surface of the card before achieving bingo. While it is possible to achieve blackout in as little as 43 balls, generally between 50 and 75 balls must be called first.

Caller – An employee or volunteer in a casino or bingo hall that is in charge of announcing the numbers pulled from the ball machine to the players.

Chat Room – An area designated in online bingo game where players can socialize and talk amongst themselves using their keyboards.

Free Space – The square in a bingo card that acts similar to a wild card in a card game. No number is printed on it so players are allowed to cover it without any number needing to be called. Intended to help make completion of pattern easier.

Multiple Winners – When two or more players call bingo at the same time, the cash prize is generally divided up among all the winners.

Mushroom – This term refers to a group of bingo displays that are in the shape of a mushroom. The machinery typically has a wide head and a more narrow, tube shaped base. These machines allow 6 to 8 players to play electronic bingo at any given time.

On – When a player has only one number left on one or more cards, they are referred to as being ‘On’.

On The Way – This is a game that is generally played ‘on the way’ to a game of blackout bingo. Usually played first on the same card that will be used in the blackout game.

Quickie – This is a type of bingo that is played as fast as possible, also known as Speed bingo.

RNG – Acronym that stands for Random Number Generator. This is the software or machine that will randomly pick numbers in order to keep a bingo game more fair in an online setting or in bingo machines.

Shutter Board – These are plastic boards that are reusable and are generally in the 4 x 4 format. The numbers are pre-printed, but can be marked off by closing small shutters over that particular number. Designed to help reduce waste.