Guides

Glossary

April 18, 2010  /  admin  /   Comments Off

Ball Gate – This is part of the machine that dispenses bingo balls. A one way gate at the top of the runway which passes the balls through to the main play area.

Ball Lifter – Part of the ball machine that raises balls from where they are stored below the main play field and inserts them into the tip of the ball shooter.

Bingo Board – The board that displays the numbers when they are called out in the midst of a game of bingo. Both digital and analog boards are used with digital being the online bingo form, the analog boards having electronic lights for land based bingo halls.

Bingo Marker – This is the object used to mark off the spaces on bingo cards when the corresponding numbers are called during a game. Items used include ink daubers, crayons or other methods which physically mark the cards.

Blower – This device uses a forced air system to mix up the balls for bingo and then dispenses them out to the caller who then announces the number on the ball and triggers the number’s display on the game board.

Bonanza Bingo – A style of bingo that gives a jackpot during the 13th round of play. Each player in the game adds to the overall jackpot.

Breakopen – A type of bingo game card that is made from paper and has perforated edges around a tab. The play area of the card is covered and underneath there are numbers, symbols or letters that correspond with specific prizes.

Caller – The online or land based bingo hall or casino employee whose job it is to announce the numbers on the balls in a bingo game so that players can mark them off on their cards.

Chat Room – A featured offered in many online bingo and casino sites that allows players to type and talk with each other during and between gaming sessions.

Four Corners – A bingo patter that requires players to cover all the corners of their card. If this goal is completed, they have achieved bingo.

Hardway Bingo – A type of bingo game that requires straight lines to be formed and has no available free spaces.

Jackpot – This is the large prize given for completing a special type of bingo, usually a complex pattern like blackout. Awarded to those that complete such complicated patterns after only a few numbers have been called.

Late Night Bingo – Also referred to as Moonlight Bingo, this is a session of bingo that starts at 10 PM or later each night in a gaming hall.

Lucky Jar – Also known as a Cookie Jar, this is simply a jar containing cash. The contestants win if they hit bingo on certain predetermined lucky numbers. Each time the lucky numbers are called during a session, money is added to the jar.

Main Stage Bingo – Primary game during a session of bingo that typically draws the most players.

Money Ball – A particular number that is determined prior to the beginning of a bingo game which, if called, doubles the players winnings if they hit bingo at that time.

Pattern – This is a shape that players must form in order to achieve bingo. Can be vertical, diagonal or horizontal lines, but may also be specific shapes determined at the beginning of the game.

V.F.W. – Acronym stands for Veterans of Foreign Wars a group that has many halls across the USA and offers bingo to raise money.