Bingo Glossary

Bingo is a game that has been around for centuries, so it is no surprise that it has built up an eclectic and extensive collection of terminology over the years. Our bingo glossary will introduce you to all of the bingo terms that you need to know before you play the game for the first time.

Even if you're an experienced bingo player, we bet that there are still plenty of definitions of bingo terms in this glossary that you haven't come across yet. Maybe there's a new variation of bingo that you've yet to explore. Perhaps there's a bit of bingo slang that you've heard people say, but have been too afraid to ask what it means.

Don't worry, as our definitive glossary of bingo terms will assist both the players in the hunt for their first full house, and the players who have heard a million bingo calls in their life. If there's ever a piece of bingo lingo that you're not sure about, check back here and we'll help you out.

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Your account represents your membership with Buzz Bingo. You can complete a range of important activities on your online account page, from entering bingo promo codes to updating your bingo deposit methods.

The minimum number of tickets required to gain entry to a bingo hall or an online bingo game is your admission. Some venues and game providers may have no minimum entry requirements, while others might require you to purchase multiple bingo cards as an admission fee.

The Auto Dab function reduces the manual player input required throughout a game. We recommend turning Auto Dab on while you get the hang of things in our Buzz Bingo clubs, because then your touchscreen dabs all your numbers for you as they're called! It's impossible to miss a number. Just remember to hit that CLAIM button and shout out loud if you win.

Your balance is the total amount of credit currently in your account. The funds in your balance could come from a number of sources. Your bingo deposits will boost your balance, while bingo bonuses, casino bonuses, or games bonuses could all contribute.

Your total balance may be different from your withdrawable balance, which is the amount of funds that can be withdrawn at that moment. You may have to meet wagering requirements before funds won via bingo promotions make their way into your withdrawable balance.

A bet is an amount of money that you have staked on a particular outcome, a common casino term that doesn't have its own specific bingo meaning.

The betting limit is the maximum stake that you can place on a particular outcome.

Without the humble bingo ball, there would be no game of bingo. A caller may use a bingo blower to draw bingo balls, while a computer program does the hard work instantly. Whatever the method for selecting a bingo ball, that choice will always be random. Different varieties use different numbers of bingo balls; for example, speed bingo has just 30 balls in play, while 90 ball bingo sensibly has 90.

A bingo blower is a device that mixes the bingo balls and uses forced air to propel out a ball for the caller to draw. Once the caller has revealed the number on the bingo ball, the process repeats until the game is concluded.

A display that shows which numbers have already been called during the game is known as a bingo board. Bingo halls usually use large electronic bingo boards so that everyone in the room can keep track of their progress towards a full house. Online bingo games have a similar system, with part of the screen often dedicated to listing the numbers already called in that round.

Bingo bonuses are provided by online bingo sites as gifts to account holders. These bingo bonuses can take a range of different forms. There might be a no-deposit bonus as part of a bingo promotion, where players receive free funds to use on bingo games. Bingo bonuses can also be distributed to loyal customers, possibly rewarding those who hit a certain threshold of wagers or those who encourage their friends to sign up to the site.

The bingo caller announces the numbers as they are drawn at random during the game of bingo. In a bingo hall, it is the job of a bingo caller to draw the balls and reveal them to the room, often with the assistance of a bingo blower. Some online bingo sites use automated voices to recreate the work of a bingo caller.

The bingo card is the individual grid of numbers that a player uses in a round of bingo. The size and shape of the bingo card can change across different bingo variations. In 75 ball bingo, players use a 5x5 bingo card. In a game of 90 ball bingo, players often use 6 3x9 bingo cards on the same bingo sheet.

A bingo hall might use a special hard card, but these are becoming increasingly rare. Usually, a bingo card looks pretty much the same whether you're playing physically or virtually.

A bingo dabber is a specialist pen that players can use to mark off the numbers on their bingo card. The act of dabbing has become a central part of the bingo experience, with many bingo halls now producing novelty bingo dabbers for players to use.

Online bingo players can opt to run an auto-dabbing feature, which asks the computer to automatically mark off numbers on the bingo card as they are drawn. Players have the option to switch to the manual use of a virtual bingo dabber, although any numbers that they miss will still be accounted for by the computer. That's useful if you happen to sneeze as the money ball is drawn - the auto-dabber will have you covered and let you know that you've won the bingo jackpot.

A bingo deposit is how a player transfers their funds into their online account, with those funds then ready for use on online bingo games. Common bingo deposit methods include debit cards and PayPal.

Bingo etiquette guidelines inform how bingo players should approach the game, their fellow participants, and the game provider. Online bingo providers might set out a list of expectations for users who wish to engage in conversation in a bingo chat room; the important thing is to treat other members with respect.

Bingo etiquette in physical venues includes staying quiet when the bingo caller is drawing numbers, and being gracious in both victory and defeat. If you're unsure about bingo etiquette, check if any of the other players are shushing you or glaring in your direction - that might be a sign.

Bingo hall is a term used to describe any land-based venue that hosts bingo games. Specialist bingo halls are still in operation, while multi-purpose venues may transform into a bingo hall for one night. A bingo hall was once the only place to enjoy the game, but the rise of online bingo has given players much more flexibility about when and where they can play.

The bingo jackpot is the biggest prize on offer in a game. A player winning on one line in a game of 90 ball bingo might receive some sort of bingo prize, but the first player to complete a full house usually claims the full bingo jackpot. The bingo jackpot could either be a fixed figure, or it could be a progressive jackpot that increases depending on the number of players. A money ball or a cash ball in operation can change the way to win, with a consolation prize often offered for those who don't quite meet the criteria to bag the bingo jackpot.

Bingo lingo covers all of the bingo calls that a caller might decide to use during the game, using their bingo call sheet to state the relevant nickname for each number. Lingo is short for 'language', but bingo language isn't quite as memorable a phrase as bingo lingo! Given that bingo calls often use rhymes, it is fitting that bingo lingo also follows that trend.

A bingo marker is anything that can be used to mark off numbers on a bingo card. The most common form of bingo marker that you find is the bingo dauber, a pen that has been specially designed for use in bingo halls.

Bingo odds are the likelihood of a certain event happening during a game. The odds of winning a bingo game can change based on a range of variables, such as the number of bingo cards that you purchase and the number of bingo players in the game.

The rate of a bingo payout compares a player's wagers with their winnings. For example, a £100 wager on a bingo game that yields a return of £80 would constitute a bingo payout of 80%.

As long as they're old enough, a bingo player could be anyone! There used to be a perception that a bingo player would invariably be both elderly and female, but recent figures have shattered that view. The rise of online bingo has played a crucial role in redefining the typical bingo player, with the ease of access and the introduction of new features encouraging different demographics to sign up for an account. Recent figures estimate that there are around 3.5 million online bingo players based in the UK, with a growing proportion of these players falling in the 18-35 age bracket.

Bingo promo codes are often required for a player to unlock online bingo bonuses. The need for a code will always be stated in the promotional terms & conditions, which is why it always pays to read through the information when looking to access bingo promotions. Once you have your bingo promo codes, head over to your account page to enter the details.

Bingo promotions are any type of offer provided by an online bingo site, either as an incentive for new players to sign up or as a reward for loyal existing members. These bingo promotions could take the form of bonus funds, boosted bingo jackpots, or so much more! Make sure you regularly check the bingo promotions page here at Buzz Bingo so that you can be first to access the latest offers.

Online bingo action takes place in bingo rooms, with each bingo room usually dedicated to one particular version of bingo. You can filter the game library here at Buzz Bingo to find your preferred variation, with 75 ball bingo rooms and 90 ball bingo rooms among the different types that you can join.

The size of the jackpot and the cost of admission can vary across bingo rooms, while some bingo rooms are catered towards a certain type of player. For example, our bingo rooms include a 1p Bingo room for those wanting to play with low-cost bingo cards, and a Newbie Room where beginners can come together and share their newfound appreciation for the game.

Bingo sheets contain the bingo cards that players use in physical venues. These bingo sheets are often collated together in a book, holding all of the bingo cards that will be used in that session. When a 90 ball bingo player decides to purchase the 6 bingo cards required to cover every bingo ball in the game, they are given an entire bingo sheet.

Bingo sheets may also be referred to as bingo tickets.

Bingo slang consists of the informal terms used in and around the game of bingo. The tag of bingo slang can be applied to all of the bingo calls that might be used during a game, and the special language that is commonly used in bingo chat rooms.

Online bingo has a range of specific features that you wouldn't experience in a bingo hall, such as the bingo slots that can be played before, during, or after bingo games. You can find online bingo slots here, just a few clicks away from the bingo rooms. Many players find that speedy action of bingo slots is the perfect way to spend time while waiting for the next round to begin.

Why, this whole page is full of bingo terms! You'll notice that some of the terms in this list are linked to bingo hall action, some have developed in response to the rise of online bingo, and some are general gaming words that have been given a special bingo meaning.

In 75 ball bingo, the aim of the game is usually to complete a pre-determined pattern. In blackout bingo, the objective is to cover every single space on your 5x5 grid.

Bonanza bingo is a special type of blackout bingo. Between 43 and 48 numbers are usually drawn before the game, which can be done with a bingo blower as normal. Players purchase bingo cards and mark out the pre-drawn numbers that feature on their card.

If somebody has covered their entire bingo card at that point, then that's game over and they win the jackpot! If nobody has yet made bingo, the caller can use the bingo blower to draw balls one by one until somebody has covered all 25 squares on their card.

A bonus feature is something that you'll commonly find in bingo slots. Free spins, multipliers, and wild symbols are all bonus features that you should look out for whenever you're playing a bingo slot - they might just boost your payout!

The caller is the person (or computer program) that announces the numbers as they are drawn randomly. A caller may choose to use a colourful selection of bingo lingo to accompany these announcements, with these bingo calls often comprised of clever rhymes or cultural references.

While an online bingo game doesn't have a caller as such, some games include a feature in which a computerised caller states each number as it is drawn.

A cash ball spices up the way that the bingo jackpot is won, with the cash ball being drawn at random before the game begins. If you claim bingo following the in-game draw of the cash ball, then the bingo jackpot is yours.

If you claim bingo following the draw of a regular bingo ball, then you might be a bit miffed that your usually impressive achievement doesn't bag you the full jackpot. There's no need to get too upset though, as a consolation prize is likely heading your way.

The Graham Norton of the online bingo world, the chat host is responsible for leading and monitoring the conversation in a bingo room. The chat host makes sure that everyone is displaying the proper bingo etiquette, keeps the discussion flowing, and may even run little games in the chat with prizes for the winners.

The chat host has the power to run a chat room game to complement the main action in the bingo room. That's why it pays to get involved in the conversation, as you might even bag a prize from a chat room game.

The coin size is the amount that you place in a single bet on a slot game. This is a common casino term that has no specific bingo meaning.

Achieving bingo is normally the happiest moment possible in the game, but sometimes a standard bingo isn't enough. Special games might have conditions to fulfil in order to win the full jackpot, like achieving bingo on the draw of the cash ball or the money ball. If you end up getting a conventional bingo in this type of game, then you should usually receive a smaller consolation prize - see, there's still a reason to celebrate!

A deposit constitutes the money that you elect to transfer into your online bingo account. The standard ways to deposit (and then withdraw) funds include debit cards and PayPal.

A deposit bonus is one of the most common types of bingo promotions, one usually reserved for new customers. New members may become eligible for bingo bonuses if they deposit a certain amount of money into their account. For example, a deposit bonus might bring £40 in bonuses if someone makes a qualifying deposit of £10 into their account.

Make sure you always read the promotional terms & conditions when trying to access a deposit bonus. Those T&Cs will let you know if there are any wagering requirements to satisfy in order to unlock your bonus winnings, while they'll point you towards any bingo promo codes needed to become eligible for that deposit bonus.

Your deposit limit restricts the amount of funds that you can transfer into your account within a specified time period. You have control of your deposit limit, so you can decide the highest amount that you're able to deposit in a day, week, or month.

If you complete a winning pattern of two lines in a game of 75 ball bingo, then you've achieved a double bingo. It doesn't matter if those lines are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal; two lines, and it's double bingo time.

The first game of a session is often advertised as the early bird game by bingo halls. You might wish to refer to the first game of your online bingo session in the same manner, and remember: someone in the early bird game will catch the worm.

A free spin is one of the most common bonus features that you'll find on a bingo slot. They live up to their name, as they give players the chance to spin the reels without having to stake any of their balance.

If you use your bingo dauber to mark off all the numbers on a bingo card, then you've got a full house. While completing one or two lines can bag you some prizes, it's the three lines that make the all-important full house that can net you the top bingo jackpot. Completing a full house on a money ball or a cash ball can further boost your winnings.

To win in 75 ball bingo, you have to mark out a specified shape on your 5x5 bingo cards. This is known as a game pattern. There are several common game patterns, from simple lines to more complex letter shapes.

Wow, that bit of bingo lingo really rolls off the tongue. It might be a bit drier than a phrase like 'money ball' or 'double bingo', but it is vital that you check out the general website terms & conditions when you sign up for an account with Buzz Bingo. You can read the terms and conditions here - we've made them as easy to read as possible, so you can get to the excitement of bingo more quickly.

Instant bingo incorporates break open bingo tickets into the game, with the hidden section of the ticket containing a selection of numbers. The winning numbers are decided before the game. If you reveal a winning number on your instant bingo card, then you'll be eligible for a prize.

The jackpot is the highest amount that you can win for that particular game. Some games have a fixed jackpot, while others use a progressive jackpot that grows as more players join the action.

If you're something of a night owl, then late night bingo will be ideal for you. This is one of our favourite bingo definitions, as there's no other way to put this: late night bingo games are run late at night. Late night bingo in bingo halls often delivers a very different atmosphere to its morning counterpart.

A lucky jar works in a similar way to a cash ball or a money ball, as meeting a certain criteria can allow a player to boost their winnings. In the case of a lucky jar, one number is drawn at random at the beginning of the session as the lucky number.

When that lucky number crops up in any of the session's games, money is added to the lucky jar. If somebody ends up achieving bingo on the lucky number, they get to claim the contents of the lucky jar.

If a player makes bingo when the money ball is drawn, their winnings will be doubled. The money ball is drawn before a game starts, so it's always one to keep an eye on. Not to be confused with Moneyball, a baseball film starring Brad Pitt. Although if you end up winning bingo on a money ball, you might just feel like you've hit a home run.

A no-deposit bonus is a type of bingo promotion that is predominantly offered to new members at an online bingo site. While many bingo promotions require the player to deposit funds, a new player can access a no-deposit bonus without needing to transfer money into their account.

There might be restrictions on how this no-deposit bonus can be used, while there are frequently wagering requirements that must be fulfilled before any winnings from this bonus form part of the player's withdrawable balance. Definitely spend some time with the promotional terms and conditions before you get swept up in the excitement of a no-deposit bonus.

A pay table shows you the list of combinations that will produce payoffs on a slot game. It's always wise to consult the pay table before playing a new game, just so you know how vigorously to celebrate when the highest-paying combination comes up on the reels.

A payoff is the amount of money that you would receive in the event of a bet winning.

A payout is calculated based on a player's wagers and their winnings. For example, a player who returns £10 from £20 of wagering generates a payout of 50%.

Prize bingo is a version of bingo in which a successful player wins tokens rather than cash. You'll usually find prize bingo on bingo slot machines in the UK, which could be located in a bingo hall or an arcade. Winners can take their tokens and trade them in for their prize of choice, depending on how many tokens they collect. Buzz Bingo features the popular Go Go Bingo during intervals in our clubs.

If a player purchases a certain type or number of bingo tickets, they may become eligible to participate in a prize draw. This is something that bingo halls and online providers often run in addition to their main games. Common prizes include vouchers and cash.

The promotional period is the duration that a promotion is set to last. That's why it's important to regularly check our bingo promotions here, so that a promotional period doesn't pass you by!

If you loved the general website terms & conditions entry in this list of bingo terms, then you're going to love the promotional terms & conditions. It is vital that you read these before you access bingo promotions. The promotional terms & conditions will let you know the eligibility requirements for the offer, as well as any wagering requirements that you need to work through before you can add bonus winnings to your withdrawable balance.

A pull-tab is a special type of ticket that can be used in a game of pull-tab bingo. Players break open a covered section of their ticket - the pull-tab - to see if their hidden numbers and symbols make them eligible for a prize. A bingo hall may run a game of pull-tab bingo as a sideshow to the main action in the session, with this game of chance providing instant gratification for players.

A punchboard is a wooden board that contains several holes filled with folded slips of paper. Players pay for the privilege to punch out one of those slips. The information contained on the slip, such as symbols and numbers, indicate whether a player has won a prize. This game is often used by bingo halls to supplement the main bingo action, with the random nature of the punchboard working a lot like a lottery.

A quickie is a special variation on blackout bingo. In blackout bingo, the aim is to cover all the numbers on the bingo card. A quickie features the bingo caller announcing numbers at a rapid pace - hey, maybe that's where the name comes from. The speed of a quickie increases the challenge for players to keep up and cover all their numbers as the action unfolds.

A rainbow pack is a collection of bingo tickets that is frequently utilised by bingo halls. The term 'rainbow' is derived from the different colour tickets in the book. Different colours give players the possibility of winning different sizes of bingo jackpots. Players could end up playing a colourful collection of tickets taken from the rainbow pack in the same bingo game.

Time for some reel talk; the reels are the virtual cylinders that rotate the symbols during an online slot game. When the reels align symbols matching a combination from the pay table, then you're going to be reel-y happy (we're so sorry, but this is one of the easier bingo terms to make puns about).

Responsible gaming is playing bingo with an awareness of the risks involved, and an appreciation of how to limit those risks. Measures like deposit limits and self-exclusion periods can help, while our team here at Buzz Bingo is always committed to supporting our account holders in the practice of responsible gaming.

Self-exclusion is when a player asks the gaming provider to prohibit them from accessing games and making wagers for a specified period.

A session is the amount of time that you spend playing bingo in one sitting.

Speed bingo mostly works just like regular bingo, only quicker. Speed bingo may as well be called 30-ball bingo, while players' bingo sheets are 3x3. This means that you could feasibly win on a row in just three calls and claim a full house after just nine bingo balls have been announced by the caller.

The spin button is the way that a player starts the next part of a game. Once your total bet has been placed, hit spin and let the action start to unfold.

In a split pot, a certain percentage of the money spent by players on bingo tickets for that game is retained by the venue or online provider. The rest goes to the players who win bingo jackpots throughout the session.

In Texas blackout bingo, the caller draws the first bingo ball and shapes the rest of the game. If that ball has an even number, players can cover all even numbers on their bingo card. If that bingo ball is odd, then they can do the same for odd numbers. Texas blackout combines the coverall nature of blackout bingo with the unpredictable effects of wild numbers.

A member can ask the gaming provider for a time out when they wish to abstain from playing games for a short period of time.

The total bet is the amount of money that a player has wagered on one spin or one round of bingo.

A triple bingo is a winning bingo pattern that is comprised of three successful lines. You usually find a triple bingo in a game of 75-Ball Bingo, where players can win one of the prizes by completing three lines in any direction on their bingo sheet.

A wager is an amount of money that has been staked on a particular outcome in a game.

Sometimes players are asked to fulfil wagering requirements as part of a bingo promotion. You can always find the wagering requirements in the promotional terms & conditions. The size of the wagering requirement tells you how much you need to wager before any winnings from your bonus can be added to your withdrawable balance. With a 3x wagering requirement on a £10 bonus, the player would have to play through their bonus three times with £30 of stakes before they could withdraw their winnings.

A wild number is something that all bingo players can mark off on their bingo cards, irrespective of whether the number has been drawn by the bingo caller. One common way to determine a wild number is to look at the last digit on the first bingo ball drawn in the game. If the first ball is 16, then all players can mark off any numbers ending in 6 (26, 36, you can do the rest...) on their bingo card.

Wild symbols can take the place of any other symbols on the reels in order for a player to make a winning combination from the pay table. Their versatility makes wild symbols one of the most desirable bonus features of an online slot.