Lingo for Bingo

This game of chance is very easy to play. No intricate rules to follow or mind boggling instructions to get through. All you need is to take a deep breath, relax, feel the game and you'll be playing like a pro at the end of your first day!

Hold on, not so fast! It is easy .... but a smart player won't go barging head-on without a little know how. Bingo is known to cause a little panic here and there especially for beginners. The game could be overwhelming, what with different sets of cards for different games, not to mention the numerous special games in between. Even seasoned players have their occasional slip-ups. So, bring a little ammunition. Either go in and observe first before buying game cards or arm yourself with these little bingo lingo!

Here are some popular bingo terms.

Caller A non- player who conducts the game randomly selecting a numbered ball from a transparent, blower generated container.

Seller A non- player roaming the hall, selling special game cards, bingo tickets etc.

Ticket booth Regular game cards for the upcoming session is sold here. Bingo halls usually sell cards on per session basis. A separate booth sells bingo paraphernalia such as dabbers, pens, glues among others.

Bingo Game cards Flat sheets of paper with random numbers (one to seventy-five) printed under the letters B, I, N, G and O. Containing 24 numbered spaces arranged in rows and columns of 5 with one free space (blank) on the middle, a game card is only used once. A serial number is printed on the bottom part of the card for reference.

Dabbers (Daubber) Ink of brilliant colors in a tube used for marking called numbers.

Session Equivalent of one whole program of bingo with a warm up game, alternating games one to three and special games. One session lasts for an average of two and a half hours.

Special Game Cards Game cards sold in between the regular games, these are sold by sellers roaming the hall.

Bingo Game pattern A specific arrangement of lines used in a game of bingo. Popular patterns are black-out or full card, roving blocks of 9, double action.

Electronic Flash boards Displays all numbers called in a specified game as well as the current game pattern being used.

Warm-up game The first game played in a session, usually a small frame pattern wherein only the eight numbers surrounding the free space are marked.

Black-out Pattern A game pattern utilizing all 25 grid spaces. The aim is to be the first to mark all the numbers on the card.

Double action/ Dual dab A game pattern with two numbers on each square except for the free space. Usually used in a black out game, wherein any number called within the square is considered marked.

Pick-Eight/ Circle-Eight A special game wherein eight numbers are picked from numbers one to seventy-five. The first to have all eight numbers called is the winner.

Winner-Takes-All (WTA) A number is drawn at the start of a game, termed WTA number, then placed back in the container. If a player wins on this WTA number, an accumulated prize money usually of big amount is paid to the player aside from the regular prize.

Jackpot Cash prize paid to a winning player in a game with specified number of balls called. It could either be a set amount or accumulated, increasing in value until won.

Cash Payout The percentage of sales paid out by the hall

Sleeper Game A term used for failure to declare bingo on the last number called, assuming that the last call is your winning number, and a new number is already drawn.