Bingo is just as famous for its witty phrases as it is for its numbers, calls, and prizes. Whether you’re in a traditional bingo hall or playing online at Paddy Power, you’ll hear a variety of playful sayings. These expressions are a huge part of the bingo experience, and to truly enjoy the game, you’ll need to learn the lingo!
With countless variations of bingo out there, we’ve put together a bingo glossary that spans from numbers 1 to 90. Whether you’re a fan of 75-ball, 80-ball, or 90-ball bingo, this guide will help you distinguish between common terms like “Kelly’s Eye” and “Top of the Shop.” Bingo jargon isn’t just limited to the UK either – the game’s popularity worldwide means you’ll find regional differences in bingo slang. Below, we’ll take a closer look at some of the more famous global references.
Bingo calls, as fun and quirky as they are today, originally had a serious purpose. In the early days of bingo, a single caller had to capture the attention of a noisy, bustling room. The numbers being called could easily be misheard, especially if 42 and 52 sounded too similar across a loud crowd. Thus, bingo calls were designed to be catchy, memorable, and often humorous so both the caller and players could easily understand and remember them.
Interestingly, some bingo calls have roots in military history. Soldiers during World War II played a version of bingo called “Housey Housey,” and many of the terms we use today reflect that influence. Expect to encounter military jargon, rhymes, and cheeky phrases. With the rise of online bingo, new contemporary terms have also been added. As you go through our list of bingo calls, you’ll see both traditional and modern interpretations for some numbers.
Traditional vs. Modern Bingo Calls
Here’s a comparison of classic bingo calls and their contemporary counterparts:
7: Lucky Seven vs. Flexitarian
9: Doctor’s Orders vs. Get an Uber from Mine
14: Valentine’s Day vs. Netflix and Chill
25: Duck and Dive vs. Quarter-Life Crisis
35: Jump and Jive vs. It’s a Vibe
38: Christmas Cake vs. Avocado on a Plate
39: 39 Steps vs. Love Island Time
48: Four Dozen vs. Not Another Brexit Debate
54: Clean the Floor vs. Lads on Tour
74: Candy Store vs. Recycle More
78: Heaven’s Gate vs. Haters Gon’ Hate
83: Time for Tea vs. Gluten Free
86: Between the Sticks vs. Instagram Pics
88: Two Fat Ladies vs. Wills and Kate
But that’s not all! Stick around after our list for some extra bingo quotes and sayings at the end of the page.
The Full List of Bingo Calls (1-90)
Here’s a breakdown of bingo calls from around the world, along with their meanings:
Kelly’s Eye: Believed to reference the Australian outlaw Ned Kelly or possibly military slang.
One Little Duck: The number two resembles a duck.
Cup of Tea: A rhyming British staple, as comforting as the drink itself.
Knock at the Door: Another playful rhyme.
Man Alive: Popularized by a BBC documentary in the 1960s.
Tom Mix / Half a Dozen: In the UK, half a dozen means six; in the US, Tom Mix refers to a popular film star.
Lucky Seven / Flexitarian: Considered lucky across many cultures.
Garden Gate / Tinder Date: A secret meeting place or a modern spin.
Doctor’s Orders / Get an Uber from Mine: A World War II reference to a medicinal pill given to soldiers.
[Prime Minister’s name]’s Den: Refers to 10 Downing Street, the residence of the UK’s prime minister.
Legs Eleven: The two ones look like legs.
One Dozen: Straightforward.
Unlucky for Some: A widely-held superstition about the number 13.
Valentine’s Day / Netflix and Chill: A classic holiday, modernized with a popular cultural phrase.
Young and Keen: Rhymes with fifteen.
Sweet 16: A milestone birthday.
Dancing Queen / Selfie Queen: A nod to ABBA’s famous song.
Coming of Age: “Now you can vote!”
Goodbye Teens: Farewell to teenage years.
One Score / Getting Plenty: Refers to the number 20, also used cheekily.
Royal Salute / Key of the Door: 21 guns for a royal salute or the age of adulthood.
Two Little Ducks: If one “two” looks like a duck, then two “twos” must be two ducks side by side! More recently, some have also linked this number to the lyrics “I don’t know about you” from a popular 2012 song called “22.”
Thee and Me / The Lord Is My Shepherd: The first phrase rhymes nicely, while the second is a biblical reference to Psalm 23.
Two Dozen / Lads on Tour: “Two dozen” is straightforward, and “Lads on Tour” is a playful, modern twist used in bingo games.
Duck and Dive / Quarter-Life Crisis: This bingo call links back to “22,” with the two looking like a duck and the five like an upside-down duck. In some games, this might even be a nod to a famous UK singer’s third album. Alternatively, for those approaching 25, it can represent a quarter-life crisis!
Half a Crown / Pick and Mix: Historically, 26 refers to half a crown (two shillings and sixpence). A more contemporary call is “Pick and Mix,” a fun rhyme.
Gateway to Heaven: “Seven” rhymes with “heaven,” but the origin of “gateway” remains a mystery.
In a State: This one comes from Cockney rhyming slang: “two and eight” means someone’s not feeling their best.
Rise and Shine: A cheerful rhyme with the number nine, easy to remember.
Dirty Gertie: This rhyme refers to a famous bronze statue, “La Délivrance,” in North London, depicting a naked lady. During WWII, soldiers also sang a song called “Dirty Gertie from Bizerte,” which stuck.
Get Up and Run: A simple rhyme, possibly inspired by military orders. But don’t actually run during your bingo game!
Buckle My Shoe / Jimmy Choo: Based on the nursery rhyme “One, two, buckle my shoe.” Today, classier callers might also use “Jimmy Choo” for a modern twist.
All the Threes / Fish, Chips and Peas / Dirty Knee: “All the threes” is a common call, while “Fish, chips, and peas” pays homage to a beloved British meal, and “Dirty knee” is a quirky rhyme.
Ask for More: Likely inspired by the famous “Oliver Twist” line, “Please, sir, I want some more.”
Jump and Jive / It’s a Vibe: A nod to the lively dance from the 1940s. Feel free to celebrate if you get 35 – it’s a vibe!
Three Dozen: Straightforward: three dozen equals 36.
More Than 11 / One Night in Heaven: These phrases rhyme, but their origins remain unclear. They’re just fun to say!
Christmas Cake / Avocado on a Plate: “Christmas Cake” stems from Cockney rhyming slang. The modern version, “Avocado on a Plate,” gives it a trendy twist.
39 Steps / Love Island Time: Referencing Hitchcock’s famous film The 39 Steps, but in today’s world, “Love Island” is perhaps more popular.
Life Begins / Naughty 40: Turning 40 is often seen as a milestone. A self-help book titled Life Begins at 40 made the phrase iconic.
Time for Fun: If life starts at 40, it’s only natural that 41 is for having fun!
Winnie the Pooh / Manhattan Street: This call mixes two references: A. A. Milne’s famous bear and the classic 1933 film 42nd Street.
Down on Your Knees: This likely comes from a military stance, though the meaning can vary.
Droopy Drawers / All the Fours: A cheeky rhyme, imagining two fours as sagging pants. Or you can stick with the clean “All the Fours.”
Halfway There: In traditional UK bingo, 45 marks the halfway point in a 90-ball game.
Up to Tricks: A simple rhyme that’s easy to remember.
Four and Seven: Straightforward – just calling out the numbers.
Four Dozen / Not Another Brexit Debate: 4 times 12 equals 48. The “Brexit” version shows how quickly pop culture shifts!
PC / One More Time: This refers to “The Adventures of P.C. 49,” an old radio show. Bingo callers today also use “one more time” as a catchy rhyme.
Half a Century / Hawaii Five-0 / Blind 50: “Hawaii Five-0” references the famous US police show, and “Blind 50” links to darts, where it represents a bullseye.
Tweak of the Thumb / I Love My Mum: These rhymes vary in sweetness, depending on the caller!
Danny La Rue / Weeks in a Year: A tribute to the Irish drag artist or a reminder that there are 52 weeks in a year.
Stuck in the Tree / Here Comes Herbie: 53 is the number of the iconic VW Beetle Herbie.
Clean the Floor: An older rhyme, linked to housework.
All the Fives / Snakes Alive: Two fives resemble snakes – hence, “Snakes Alive.”
Was She Worth It? / Shotts: This one refers to the price of a marriage license “back then.” Callers often ask, “Was she worth it?” expecting the response, “Every penny!” In some areas, “Shotts” is used, referencing a bus route in Scotland.
Heinz Varieties: Named after Heinz, famous for having “57 varieties” of canned foods. Although the brand has more products, its founder stuck with 57 as his lucky number.
Make Them Wait: A simple rhyme to keep you on your toes.
Brighton Line: There are different ideas about this call’s origin – from the train journey time from Brighton to London to the fact that Brighton phone numbers start with 59.
Five Dozen / Three Score / Blind 60: Standard math terms, but some callers use the cheeky “Grandma’s getting frisky!”
Baker’s Bun: A fun rhyme to keep the game light.
Turn the Screw / Tickety-Boo: Depending on the mood, the caller might say either. Both are catchy rhymes.
Tickle Me: A playful rhyme to match the number.
Red Raw: An older rhyme that still holds up.
Old Age Pension: Though pensions are collected later nowadays, this call refers to when 65 was the retirement age.
All the Sixes / Clickety Click: The classic bingo call for two sixes, often accompanied by a “clickety” sound effect.
Stairway to Heaven: A nod to the iconic Led Zeppelin song.
Saving Grace: Another simple rhyme, easy to remember.
Any Way Up: The numbers 6 and 9 look the same whether flipped or not.
Three Score and Ten: A reference to the Biblical phrase meaning seventy years.
Bang on the Drum: A fun rhyme that fits 71 perfectly.
Six Dozen: Basic math – 6 times 12 equals 72.
Queen Bee: A rhyme that sticks, though we’re not sure why it belongs in the 70s!
Candy Store / Hit the Floor / Recycle More: Take your pick – all these phrases rhyme with 74, though “Hit the Floor” likely refers to dancing.
Strive and Strive: This could refer to striving for a house in 75-ball bingo, or it might just be about reaching the highest number in that game variant.
Trombones: A musical reference to the song “76 Trombones” from The Music Man.
All the Sevens / Sunset Strip / Double Hockey Sticks: “77 Sunset Strip” was a popular TV show, but the number 77 also looks like two hockey sticks.
Heaven’s Gate / Haters Gon’ Hate: Another rhyme, though keeping it straight with “gate” or modernizing it with “hate” works either way!
One More Time: A final rhyme before the last big number.
Eight and Blank / Gandhi’s Breakfast: The first is easy to understand, while the second might reference Gandhi’s fasting – meaning “ate nothing”!
Stop and Run: This mirrors “Get Up and Run” (for 31), relying on the same number of syllables.
Straight on Through: A smooth rhyme. For a quirkier version, some say “fat lady with a duck” (see 88).
Time for Tea / Gluten Free: More fun rhymes – either British or more modern, depending on the caller!
Seven Dozen: Quick math again. Thankfully, online bingo tracks the numbers for you!
Staying Alive: This might be a Bee Gees reference, but some say the call predates the song.
Between the Sticks / Instagram Pics: Borrowed from football or social media – take your pick.
Torquay in Devon: A seaside town in the UK, though how it became associated with bingo remains a mystery.
Two Fat Ladies / Wills and Kate: The number 88 resembles two curvy women. More modern callers might use the royal reference of Prince William and Kate.
Nearly There: Just one more to go!
Top of the Shop / End of the Line / As Far As We Go: Number 90 is the last call in 90-ball bingo – signaling the end of the game.
Famous Quotes About Bingo
Bingo is so beloved worldwide that it often sneaks into our everyday language. From playful references to humorous takes, here are some well-known quotes about bingo that have popped up in popular culture.
Famous Quotes:
“Congress: bingo with billions.” – Red Skelton (Comedian)
“I’ve had some of my best matches in front of 50 people in bingo halls.” – Johnny Gargano (Professional Wrestler)
“People ask me if there will be stories of Harry Potter as an adult. Honestly, I could keep writing about Harry until he’s a senior citizen, but I’m not sure how many would want to read about a 65-year-old Harry playing bingo at Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione.” – J.K. Rowling (Author)
Bingo-Inspired Motivational Quotes
Sometimes, even a classic game like bingo can inspire wisdom. Here are some fun and inspirational quotes with a bingo twist:
Keep calm and bingo on.
Impossible is nothing… unless you’re hoping to hit 91.
Do one thing every day that scares you – like playing bingo without a dabber.
Life is just a random series of balls; you never know what number is coming next.
All it takes is one call to change your life in an instant!
Listen for These Bingo Calls When You Play at Paddy Power Bingo
The bingo world is always evolving, with new call terms being added regularly. At places like Paddy Power Bingo, these calls keep the game fresh, with players sharing laughs and keeping the tradition alive.
