Bingo Lingo

Glossary of commonly used terms in BINGO

Audit Number
An audit number* is printed on each sheet of C MAX® papers to quickly and easily determine the number of sheets sold by each seller and the sales for each session. With the audit number it only takes minutes to get an accurate and reliable accounting of sales, including booklets and specials. *Only available on standard cuts
Bingo Balls
Originally made of wood; they are now made of plastic and are similar to ping-pong balls. Bingo balls come in sets of 75 or 90 and are mixed in a console or blower chamber that randomly selects numbers for the caller.
Buy-In
The price charged for a "Packet" of bingo paper for an evening'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 and nite owls. Each hall operator determines their own buy-in levels.
Caller
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.
Collation
A tablet or pad of bingo sheets arranged in a specific color sequence.
Color
The color used on the bingo face which identifies which game is being played. For example, this could be a border (as in border blue), a screen or a pattern.
Console
A wood or metal cabinet, consisting of a blower chamber and a master board, used to operate a bingo game.
Cover-All
(Blackout) A big $ 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.
Cut
The overall appearance of the sheet of faces. A cut may be square, horizontal or vertical.
Dabbers
Bingo ink markers used to mark called numbers on bingo paper.
Early Bird
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
A single bingo card.
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 middle space on each bingo face. The free space has a number in it (free space number) used to identify that particular bingo face.
Free Space Number
Identifies the unique bingo face and enables you to verify the winning face using a bingo verifier.
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.
Late Bird
A short bingo session (2-6 games) played after the regular session, used by the operator to get players to stay and spend. Small prizes are usually awarded.
Loose Paper
Bingo paper not collated into books or pads and sold individually. Loose paper is also called paper "specials".
Nite Owl
A bingo session (2-8 games) used by the operator to allow the "Bingo Junkie" to stay after the regular session and spend money. Small prizes are awarded.
Ons
The number of bingo faces per sheet. For example, a 3 ON or 3V1 would have 3 faces per sheet.
Off-Cut
Faces that cannot be cut from the master sheet in the desired ‘ON.’ If the master sheet is a 36 ON (36S6) and you order 15 ON (15H5) sheets, the result will be two 15 ON (15H5) cuts that equals 30 faces and two 3 ON (3V1) cuts.
Packets
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.
Pull Tab
A ticket having perforated windows or tabs which reveal numerals or symbols when opened.
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.
Serial Number
Printed on the “N” of each bingo face to identify that particular printed set. This number helps to keep the integrity and security of the game.
Serial Number Tracking
Printed on the "N" of each bingo face to identify that particular printed set. This number helps to keep the integrity and security of the game.
Series
Identifies the cards in play by the different range of 9,000 cards. Example: 1-9,000; 9,001-18,000; 18,001-27,000....63,000.
Set
Bingo paper of the same color or border having the same serial number in multiples of 9,000 faces.
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.
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 of the game so that it can be used later for winner verification.
Up
The number of pages in a booklet.
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

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