Bingo is such a simple game. That’s why it appeals to so many people on a global scale, young and old. Someone calls out a number and if it’s on the sheet in front of you, you can cross it off. When all your numbers have gone, you win. Easy.
The beauty of bingo is that it’s mixed with the very real possibility of winning some cash prizes. We all love scooping a jackpot, and many people have made substantial sums of money by playing at barbados bingo. So what are you waiting for?
A potential stumbling block for rookies
The thing is, if you’re new to playing bingo, the language used to play (bingo lingo) can be tough to navigate.
This is true both for playing in-house at a bingo hall, and online too. Possibly the biggest obstacle stopping more people from getting involved is that they don’t fully understand what’s going on at all times. This can be frustrating when you’re trying to gauge which numbers are being called out, and the chance is there for you to win some money.
Bingo Lingo Guide
You may have thought you’d finished studying languages when you dropped French at school. However, have a quick look at the below terms and see if you can improve your chances!
Dabber – this is the way you mark the numbers off on your ticket or strip. It makes a circular imprint and is very similar to the dabber used in the traditional bingo halls.
Lobby – the area you learn which bingo game you want to play. It’s also where all of the information about each different game is displayed. All of the costs of each ticket and strip are displayed here, as well as the number of players in each room and the length of time until the next game starts.
Full House – this refers to all of the numbers of your ticket being marked. If you win a full house, you have won the biggest prize available. As one of the most common phrases used in the online bingo world, this is a definite must phrase to learn!
Early Bird – this is the first game of the day and comes from the popular phrase “the early bird catches the worm!”
Lights Out – the last game of the day which is commonly played at midnight. As this is the closing game, it is called “lights out” as it is the end game prior to the online bingo room closing.
1tg / 2tg / 3tg – when bingo players online are communicating amongst themselves regarding how many numbers they still have ‘left to go’. You may see these acronyms posted in bingo chat rooms on numerous occasions.
Kelly’s eye – means the number 1. It’s possibly a reference to the slit in Ned Kelly’s helmet.
One little duck – means the number 2.
Cup of tea – means the number 3.
Knock at the door – means the number 4.
Man alive – means the number 5.
Half a dozen – means the number 6.
Lucky for some – means the number 7.
Garden gate – means the number 8.
Brighton line / Doctor’s orders – mean the number 9. The latter is a reference to a laxative prescribed to British soldiers in WWII.
Big Ben – means the number 10.
If you’re unsure as to what the bingo caller is talking about, and are spending time trying to decipher what numbers are being read out, you should study List of British bingo nicknames – Wikipedia and possibly learn the nicknames from 1 – 90!