Bingo Chips Explained: Magnetic vs. Standard, and When You Need a Wand
If you're setting up hard cards for the first time, choosing chips isn't as simple as it sounds - there are two different types, and picking the wrong one means an accessory that doesn't work the way you expected. Here's the difference, in plain terms.
The Short Answer
Standard bingo chips are simple plastic discs you place by hand. Magnetic bingo chips have a thin metal ring embedded in the edge, which lets you pick them up and clear them using a magnetic wand instead of picking up each one individually. Both types work the same way during play - the only real difference is how you clear the board between games.
Standard Chips: Simple and Familiar
Standard chips are exactly what they sound like - plain plastic markers you place on a hard card by hand as numbers are called, and pick up by hand when the game ends or the card needs clearing. No special tools required, and they work with any hard card. The tradeoff is that clearing a full card of standard chips one at a time takes longer, especially in a fast-moving multi-game session.
Magnetic Chips: Faster Clearing, Same Basic Idea
Magnetic chips look and function almost identically to standard chips during play - you still place them by hand as numbers are called. The difference shows up at the end of the game: instead of picking up each chip individually, you sweep a magnetic wand across the card, and every chip lifts off at once, collecting on the wand for easy removal. For a group running several games in a row, this small difference genuinely speeds up the pace between rounds.
Magnetic chips are usually sized to match standard chips (commonly 3/4 inch), so the actual playing experience feels the same - the wand is really a clearing shortcut, not a different way of marking numbers.
Do You Need the Wand, or Just the Chips?
If you're buying magnetic chips, you'll also need a magnetic wand to get the clearing benefit - the chips alone won't do anything differently from standard chips if you're just picking them up by hand. Many suppliers, including ours, offer wand-and-chip sets together for exactly this reason, so you're not left with magnetic chips and no way to use the magnetic feature.
If you already own a magnetic wand from a previous set, you can typically just restock magnetic chips on their own without buying another wand.
Chips vs. Shutter Cards vs. Paper: Where Chips Fit In
We've covered shutter/slide cards and bingo paper with daubers in separate guides - here's how chips compare to both.
Chips and hard cards are a strong fit if your group already prefers the tactile feel of placing a physical marker, or if you want a reusable system but don't need the all-in-one sliding mechanism of a shutter card. Hard cards also tend to hold up extremely well over years of repeated use.
Shutter cards are the faster, simpler reusable option if you want zero loose pieces at all - no chips to lose or knock off the table.
Paper and daubers remain the best fit for large one-off events or fundraisers, where the lower per-use cost of disposable paper matters more than long-term reusability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use magnetic chips without a wand? Yes - they'll function exactly like standard chips if placed and removed by hand. You only get the speed benefit if you're also using a magnetic wand.
What size are bingo chips? Most standard and magnetic bingo chips are 3/4 inch in diameter, sized to fit the number windows on standard hard cards.
Are magnetic chips more expensive than standard chips? Typically a modest amount more, given the embedded metal ring, but for a recurring group the time saved clearing cards between games often justifies the difference.
Do chips work with any hard card, or do I need a specific type? Standard hard cards are designed to work with either standard or magnetic chips - the card itself doesn't need to be special, only the chip and (optionally) the wand.
Shop Chips and Wands and Hard Cards at Bingo Innovation.
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