Bingo Glossary
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Bonanza - A progressive jackpot with blackout pattern. Before the game 45 numbers are extracted that players cover on a separate card and put aside. An extra fee is required to participate. The countdown starts at forty-eight numbers or less and one number each week is drawn until someone wins or until 52 numbers are drawn.
Caller – The person that calls out loud the draw numbers.
Chat Room – In many online bingo sites you can join the chat room and chat with other players who are logged in.
Coverall – See "Blackout".
Dauber - A special marker filled with ink that has a wide foam tip. Players use it to cover drawn numbers on their bingo card.
Early Bird Game - Bingo game that begins before another regularly scheduled game
Free Space – Central square on every bingo card. It is used as a wild card.
Game Board – The board where the balls in play are displayed. It is usually above the bingo cards.
Game Room – Many online bingo halls have different bingo rooms you can play at.
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Hardway Bingo (Hard-way Bingo) - Bingo in a straight line where the central square is not used.
Jackpot - A large amount of money players can win if they complete the most difficult pattern with a defined number of balls.
Top Of The Hour Jackpot - Particular bingo games with large jackpots that can be played on the hour, every hour, during a defined time period.
Minimum Buy-in - The minimum number of cards you need to buy to qualify for the prize.
Money Ball - If a player hits bingo on this number his prize is doubled.
Pattern - Shape you need to cover with drawn numbers on the bingo card to win.
Progressive Jackpot - Jackpot where the money value increases with each play until it is won. Separate buy-in is required to qualify.
Rainbow Pack - Paper pack with which players can pay for multiple denominations at the same time.
Six-pack, Nine-pack - One card with six or nine numbers block.
T.E.D., G.T.I. – See "G.T.I., T.E.D".
Validation - Eligibility required to win for example progressive jackpots.
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Card - Bingo card consist of 25 boxes out of which 24 are numbered and the central one is blank. The boxes are arranged in 5 rows and 5 columns. Each letter of the BINGO name labels one column, B being the first one, I the second and so on. In the 75 ball bingo the first column contains numbers from 1 through 15, the second 16 through 30 and so on. As a number is called the player covers. To win bingo a player need to cover the required pattern.
Free Square – See "free space".
Payout Percentage - The proportion of the sales that the house pays back out in prizes. In online bingo this proportion is usually 70%.
Sign Up Bonus - A welcome bonus offered by most online bingo websites. It usually matches 100% of your first deposit up to $100. It is usually not possible to cash it out until you have met the waging requirements.