Bingo Words Explained: A Plain-English Glossary for New Players

Bingo words describe the ticket you follow, the numbers you mark and the results you look for. Slot terms can describe how a game’s returns vary or what a bonus condition means; this glossary explains each in plain English.

The words you meet, step by step

Bingo and the ticket

Bingo is a game in which players match randomly drawn numbers against a card. The card is your reference for the game: as numbers are drawn, you look for matches among the numbers it contains.

Ticket is another word you’ll hear for the card you play with. In 90-ball bingo, a ticket has 15 numbers arranged across three rows. Knowing which numbers belong to your ticket is the starting point for following a game.

90-ball bingo is a format in which those three rows are important to the way results are described. If you’re new to the term, it helps to look at the shape of a ticket before trying to remember the other vocabulary: there are five numbers in each row.

Starting and marking

Eyes down is a call that tells players the game is about to start. It’s a reminder to look at your ticket and get ready to follow the numbers, rather than the name of a result or a feature.

Dabber is a marker used to mark numbers on a bingo ticket. You may also hear people talk about “dabbing” a number: they mean marking it on the ticket. The word describes the marking tool or action, not a number itself.

Match is a useful everyday word for finding a drawn number on your ticket. The important distinction is between a number being drawn and that number appearing on the ticket you’re following. A match connects the two.

Recognising a result

Line means a completed horizontal row of five numbers on one ticket in 90-ball bingo. Here, “horizontal” means across the ticket, from side to side. A line is one row, not all three rows together.

Full house means all the numbers on a bingo ticket have been marked. On a 90-ball ticket, that means the numbers across all three rows have been marked, rather than just those in one row.

These terms are easier to tell apart if you think of the part of the ticket each describes. A line is a completed row; a full house covers the whole ticket. The words tell you what has been marked, rather than how the numbers were drawn.

Reading slot and game information

RTP stands for return to player. It is a long-run average across a significant number of game plays, not a promised return from an individual playing session. A percentage shown as RTP is therefore not a prediction of what you will get back today.

Volatility describes variation in game returns. A highly volatile game can have large but rare prizes, while a low-volatility game can have smaller, more frequent prizes. It describes a pattern of variation, not a timetable for any individual result.

House edge is the percentage a casino expects to keep on average from a game, given normal patterns of play. Like RTP, it is an average rather than a way to work out the outcome of a particular session. The two terms look at a game from different sides: one describes return to players, the other what the casino expects to keep.

If you’re comparing these words in game information, take them one at a time. RTP and house edge are measures expressed as percentages; volatility describes how returns can vary. None tells you what your next result will be.

A closer look at wagering requirements

Wagering requirements state how many times a bonus must be played through before winnings can be withdrawn. This is a condition attached to a bonus, so it answers a different question from the terms used to describe a bingo ticket or a game’s long-run returns.

The wording matters: a requirement refers to playing through the bonus before withdrawal, not simply receiving it. If you come across the term, read the relevant conditions so you understand what they ask you to do. It’s also sensible to decide whether those conditions suit you before accepting a bonus; you don’t need to treat a bonus as part of learning the game.

What to check before or while playing

• Look at the ticket and the stated format, so you know which numbers and rows you’re following.
• Check the game’s instructions for what counts as a completed result.
• Read any bonus conditions before deciding whether to accept one.
• Set a budget for the session that you’re comfortable with and keep track of your spending.

Related reads on this site

For a closer look at the tickets behind some of these terms, read our guide to 90-ball, 75-ball and 80-ball bingo. You can also explore online bingo rooms or browse more Bingo & Slot Words.

If you’re curious about the site’s Fluffy focus, there’s a guide to the Fluffy Favourites bingo room and a separate introduction to Slingo Fluffy Favourites. For a practical companion to the checklist, see setting a bingo budget.