Bingo Glossary

The minimum number of cards a player must buy in order to be admitted into the game.  The purchase of an admission packet is usually required.  The contents of an admission packet will change based on the hall.

Game rules that require every number on the card to be covered in order to win.  Though there are records of people achieving black out after 43 numbers have been called, it typically requires 50 to 60 numbers before anyone can cover all the number on their playing card. 

Bingo is played on a card containing 25 spaces, 24 numbered and 1 free/blank space. The card is made up of five rows and five columns of randomly assigned numbers (5 x 5 =25).  B column numbers range between 1 and 15.  I column numbers range between 16 and 30.  N column numbers range between 31 and 45 (the free space is always in the center of the N column.  G column numbers range between 46 and 60.  O column numbers range between 61 and 75.  Card manufacturers produce unduplicated cards in sets between 6,000 and 9,000.  A series number is printed on hard cards and flimsy cards.  The spaces will contain the same numbers on any card with the series number 1252.

Special games will offer this prize(s) if no winner is claimed after a certain number of calls.

An electronic display on the bingo board alerting players of the pattern required to win a game.  It is shaped like a bingo card and indicated the particular bingo rules the participants are currently playing under.  Such as:  chevron, coverall, four corners, regular, etc.

Repeating of calling of bingo numbers can be done in a comic way with the use of nicknames.  If the announcer is being drowned out by the ruckus of a noisy bingo hall.  Nicknames are a good way to confirm what numbers have been called.  Before the more convenient computer callers replaced the blower, British bingo halls often used nicknames.

A jackpot that rises in value daily, weekly or even monthly, if no one wins it within a certain amount of calls and after X numbers are called and now victor is claimed, smaller rewards or consolation prizes are given out, various progressive bingo games add numbers or dollars to the total jackpot, Progressive Jackpot games often require a separate buy-in.

This game is similar to standard blackout.  Depending on whether the first number drawn in an even number, all other even numbers on the card are wild (free spaces).  Same applies if the first number drawn is an odd number.  Then from there the game is played as a game of coverall.