Admission Packet – Refers to a pack of cards that represent the minimum amount needed to play a game of bingo in a hall or casino setting. Generally seen as the cost of admission for the game itself. Can hold 3 to 6 cards or even include a special game card that is geared to a particular theme or playing style. Differs from venue to venue.
After Game – Final game after the typical play session for a night of bingo is over with, usually for hardcore fans who want a wind down game.
Bingo Marker – This is a device that is typically used to mark the spots on a bingo card that correspond with letter and number combinations that have been called by the game’s host. Sometimes a crayon or dauber of ink.
Bonanza Bingo – A longer form of bingo that offers up a jackpot which cannot be won until the thirteenth game of the session is played. A bonanza bingo jackpot is progressive and allowed to grow larger as players add to it by chipping in for a new game of bingo each time. Forty five numbers are drawn prioer to the session’s start and then the players record these on a separate card. The bonanza jackpot will be the sum total of all fees from players entering the game throughout the course of the session.
Caller – Person who calls out the numbers when they are selecrted from a hall or casino’s bingo machine.
Consolation Prize – This prize is given out under certain special conditions during a game where no winner is found after a certain amount of calls.
Free Space – This is a black square in the center of a bingo card that has no number printed on it. Instead, like a wild card in a card game, players can give it whatever value they care to assign to help them get bingo.
Hard Card – Heavy cardboard printed bingo cards that generally feature shutters to slide shut over numbers that have been called.
Jackpot – A large prize awarded for those who complete bingo patterns of a more complex nature such as those involved in blackout. Typically won if a player can complete the pattern within a pre-set amount of time.
Money Ball – A number drawn before a bingo game begins that doubles the amount of the pot won if the player hits bingo on the money ball number.
Postage Stamp Pattern – When 4 numbers are matched to form a 2 x 2 grid in any of the corners of a card, this is referred to as a postage stamp pattern.
Quickie – A variety of bingo in which numbers are called out as fast as the caller can go and players must fill their card to win like in blackout.
RNG – This machine or device is used to generate random numbers as a means of substituting the natural randomness found in a bingo ball machine that would otherwise be employed for this purpose. Most RNG’s are digital now.
Validation – The price of validation varies based on the number of cards played, but this acts as the eligibility requirement for a jackpot.
