BINGO LINGO

• Admission Pack - A pack of bingo cards that includes every regular "session" game.  In Vegas, you must be playing at least one  6-pack to stay in the room.

• Aggregate Pay - If two or more players bingo on the same winning number, the cash prize is divided  among them, usually with anything under a dollar rounded up.  The amount each winner receives depends upon the level card the player won on (see Levels). With multiple winners, it does not matter who calls Bingo first.

• Autodaub - Used with TEDs and Stationaries, this is an option wherein the computer will automatically mark off the called numbers on your Bingo cards.

• Bingo - The name of the game, which is also the phrase called out when a person completes the specified pattern. It is also what signifies the end of the game.

• Bingo Card - This is the numbered card that is used for playing Bingo. It has 24 random numbers in Bingo and one "FREE" square in the middle. The sets are as follows: B is 1-15, I is 16-30, N is 31-45 G is 46-60, and O is 61-75.

• Bingo Board - A display board, usually electronic, that "lights up" showing each number as it is called. Also on the board, the number of balls called and the game pattern may also be displayed on what is called the "Game Board."

• Bingo Marker - Usually a "dauber." Your marker is used to cover the numbers on the bingo game card. While not every bingo hall requires that a dauber be used as the marker, most do - so check with the hall's rules if you do not plan to use a dauber.

• Bonanza Bingo - A form of "coverall," with a couple of variations. Forty-Five to Forty-eight numbers are called before the regular session begins. If no winner is achieved in 48 numbers, the hall will either progress the number of "calls" (49, 50, etc) each night it is not won or just keep playing the game until there is a winner and award a "consolation prize."

• Buy-in - See Admission Packet

• Caller - The person who calls out the bingo numbers as they are drawn. The numbers themselves are usually randomly generated by machine blows. Most Vegas bingo halls switch callers sometime during the session.

• Calls - "Calls" is a short way of saying "Balls called out." Generally you will hear this term in reference to a "jackpot." If a jackpot requires that you win in "54 calls" that means that you can call out bingo any time before, or on, the 54th number called. If nobody wins after 54 calls, then the jackpot progresses to the next week.

• Card Packs - See Levels

• Cash Ball - A "progressive jackpot" that pays off when a Bingo is called, and the cash ball was the last called ball. The Cash Ball is usually drawn before the game begins.

• Coverall - Also known as a "Blackout." A bingo pattern that requires that every number on your card must be called for you to win. Usually Coveralls are won within 50-60 of the 75 numbers.

• Dauber - An ink with a foam tip used to mark called numbers on paper bingo cards.

• Early Birds - Bingo games played before the start of a regular "session." In Vegas, early birds are usually played during big bingo events only.

• Free Space - The middle square of the bingo card what has no number assigned to it. Free space does not count during hardway bingo and other special patterns.

• G.T.I. - GameTech Inc. - maker of the electronic bingo unit called TED.

• Levels - Most bingo rooms sell 6-card packs that come in various levels. The cost and payout for each level is different. The following are examples of card packs and payouts:

  • Level 1 (also known as Blue Pack) - Cost $5 | Payout $50

  • Level 2 (also known as Red pack) - Cost $8 | Payout $100

  • Level 3 (also known as Green pack) - Cost $12 | Payout $150

  • Level 4 (also known as Tan pack) - Cost $19 | Payout $200

• On - A bingo player is said to be "on" when one or more of their cards need only one more number for a "bingo." (Also referred to as:  "set", "cased" , "pat")

• Pattern - The shape you need to cover on your bingo card using the numbers called out during the game. While the variations of patterns are almost endless, you can See our List of Patterns to view commonly played patterns in Vegas.

• Progressive Jackpot - A progressive jackpot is a jackpot that gets bigger each time the jackpot is not won. There are different variations of a progressive jackpot. One variation has the jackpot set at a fixed number of calls, and the dollar amount increases each time it is not won. Another variation uses a fixed jackpot amount, but each jackpot not won increases the number of calls on each game thereafter until it is won. There are some cases, though not as common as either above, that the number of calls and the jackpot amount both increase.

• Rainbow Pack - A 12 or 15-card pack consisting of various card levels. Small rainbows consist of levels 1-3. Large rainbows include level 4 cards.

• Session - A bingo "session" is simply a program of "regular" games played all together. Sessions may contain "Special" games or intermissions throughout the program, with varying game times.

• Stationary - See T.E.D. (This is a larger version of the TED, but also includes a built-in TV for watching tv shows and sports during the session.  Bring your headphones!)

• T.E.D. - An electronic dauber system made by the company GameTech Inc (G.T.I.). TEDs are preferred by some people to play multiple packs at once. TEDs require a rental fee, and only one unit is allowed per player.  When you are waiting for one number, your TED will "ding" and the number you are waiting on will flash. When you get a bingo, the TED will start playing music, however you must still yell BINGO loud and clear!

• Validated Packs - Only validated cards are eligible for the cash ball. Validation is usually $1 for regular 6-packs and $2 for rainbow packs.