In Bingo, each number has been given one or more affectionate nicknames. Bingo callers often uses these nicknames when they call out the numbers, so it’s good to know what they are. If a Bingo caller calls out “One hockey stick” or “Legs – they’re lovely”, will you think the caller has gone plain bonkers, or will you know that the number 7 is often called a “hockey stick” and that the number 11 is often called “legs”!

• Royal Salute Bingo Clip Art
• Royal Salute Owner
• Royal Salute Bingo Fundraiser

A lot of Bingo calls for numbers are based on the shape of the numbers – like “little duck” for the number 2. Other nicknames rhyme with the numbers, like “One little flea” for number 3.

Royal Salute: The traditional age of majority “Chivas Royal Salute” is a Scottish branded whiskey known for its 21 year old maturation. Two little ducks: The numeral 22 resembles the profile of two ducks. Response is often “quack, quack, quack” 23. The Lord is My Shepherd. Three and Me: The first words of Psalm 23 of the Old. Royal salute Named after the traditional 21-gun salute. 22 Two little ducks The numeral 22 resembles the profile of two ducks. Response is often 'quack, quack, quack'. 23 The Lord is My Shepherd The first words of Psalm 23 of the Old Testament. Thee and me: Rhymes with '(twenty) three'. 24 Two dozen 12 × 2 = 24. Refer to 12 above. 25 Duck and dive.

Some Bingo calls have especially interesting origins. For instance, did you know that the number 9 is sometimes called “Doctor’s orders” because a pill known as “number nine” was often prescribed during World War II?

• Found at most bingo halls in the UK, 90 Ball Bingo uses tickets of three rows and nine columns. On these cards, each row has five numbers and four blanks. The three winning combinations in 90 ball bingo are one line, two line, or full house.
• Bingo calls are words or phrases that accompany the ball numbers. The most famous bingo calls usually rhyme, and some have even made it into mainstream language. In bingo halls of old, bingo calls were sometimes shouted out by the players after the bingo caller announced the number in a call-and-response fashion.

Getting to know the terms used in Bingo calling is part of the fun of playing and enjoying Bingo. For more fun terms used in Bingo calling, check our online Bingo Cockney rhyming slang terms.

List of Bingo Calls and Nicknames (1 – 90)

1. Kelly’s eye (after one-eyed Australian gangster Ned Kelly), Little Jimmy, First on the board
2. Little duck, Me and you, Home alone, Peek a boo
3. One little flea, Cup of tea, Monkey on the tree
4. The one next door, On the floor, Shut the door
5. One little snake, Man alive
6. Chopsticks, Tom’s tricks, In a fix
7. Hockey stick, Crutch, Lucky seven, God’s in heaven, David Beckham
8. One fat lady, At the gate
9. Doctor’s orders
10. Downing street, Big fat hen, Cock and hen, Uncle Ben
11. Legs, Chicken legs, Skinny legs
12. One dozen, One doz’ if one can
13. Unlucky for some, Bakers’ dozen
14. Valentines day
15. Rugby team
16. Sweet sixteen, Never been kissed
17. Dancing queen (from the Abba song of the same name), Posh and Becks
18. Key of the door, Coming of age
19. Goodbye teens
20. Blind 20, One score
21. Royal salute, Key of the door
22. Two little ducks
23. A duck and a flea, The Lord’s my shepherd (from Psalm 23)
24. Two dozen
25. Duck and dive
26. Bed and breakfast (traditional price was 2 shillings 6 pence), Half a crown (equivalent to 2 shillings 6 pence)
27. Gateway to heaven, Little duck with a crutch
28. Duck and its mate
29. Rise and shine
30. Dirty Gertie, Speed limit
31. Get up and run
32. Buckle my Shoe
33. Two little fleas, Sherwood forest (all the trees)
34. Ask for more
35. Jump and jive, Flirty wives
36. Three dozen
37. A flea in heaven
38. Christmas cake
39. All the steps (from the 1935 Hitchcock film), Jack Benny
40. Two score, Life begins at, Naughty 40
41. Life’s begun, Time for fun
42. Whinny the Poo
43. Down on your knees
44. All the fours
45. Halfway house, Halfway there
46. Up to tricks
47. Four and seven
48. Four dozen
49. PC (for police constable), Copper
50. Bulls eye, Half a century, Hawaii five O
51. I love my mum
52. Weeks in a year, Pack ‘o cards
53. Stuck in the tree, The joker
54. Clean the floor
55. Snakes alive, All the fives
56. Was she worth it? (From the original price of a wedding contract)
57. Heinz varieties, All the beans
58. Make them wait, Choo choo Thomas
59. Brighton line (the London-Brighton engine was number 59)
60. Three score, Five dozen
61. Bakers bun
62. Tickety boo, Turn on the screw
63. Tickle me
64. The Beatles number, Red raw
65. Old age pension
66. Clickety click, All the sixes
67. Made in heaven
68. Saving grace
69. Either way up, The French connection
70. Three score and ten
71. Bang on the drum, Lucky one
72. A crutch and a duck, Par for the course (from golf)
73. Crutch with a flea, Lucky three
74. Candy store, Grandmamma of Bingo, Lucky four
75. Granddaddy of Bingo, Lucky five
76. Trombones, Lucky six
77. All the sevens, Two little crutches, The double hockey stick, Lucky seven
78. Heavens gate, Lucky eight
79. Lucky nine
80. Gandhi’s breakfast, Eight and blank
81. Fat lady and a little wee, Stop and run
82. Fat lady with a duck, Straight on through
83. Fat lady with a flea, Time for tea, Ethel’s Ear
84. Seven dozen
85. Staying alive
86. Between the sticks
87. Fat lady with a crutch
88. Two fat ladies, Wobbly wobbly, All the eights
89. Nearly there, All but one
90. Top of the shop, Top of the house, End of the line

Bingo is one of the most popular online gambling games there is, and it’s quickly build up quite a community. Did you know that there are unique bingo calls for every one of the 90 bingo numbers you’ll see in a standard game, though?

This bingo lingo has developed over the years from millions of players who have been calling bingo numbers on a regular basis every time they play. But how do you call bingo numbers using this bingo lingo, and are they actually useful bingo calls that make a difference during a game?

What are the Bingo Sayings?

These bingo calls are a type of bingo lingo that you’ll see in both online bingo games and at bingo halls. They’re essentially alternate names for numbers that might be used in place of the original number, either because it’s shorter, catchier or just more entertaining to say.

Here are the bingo calls, in order:

1. Kelly’s Eye: Apparently originated from army slang, since nobody knows exactly where it came from. Kelly’s Eye might refer to Ned Kelly.
2. One Little Duck: referencing the fact that the number 2 looks like a small duck. The number 2 being referred to as a duck is quite a common association.
3. Cup of Tea: a rhyme, the first of many.
4. Knock at the Door: a rhyme, as well as apparently the average number of times people will knock on a door.
5. Man Alive: a rhyme.
6. Half a Dozen: literally half a dozen (a dozen is 12). Also sometimes replaced by Tom Mix: Tom Mix is a real film star, but his name is also a rhyme.
7. Lucky Seven: the number seven is said to be lucky in a lot of cultures.
8. Garden Gate: a rhyme, as well as a reference to an actual garden gate.
9. Doctor’s Orders: comes from the Number 9 Pill, a military doctors’ treatment.
10. Prime Minister’s Den: the UK Prime Minister lives at Number 10. Many people will swap out the name for the current PM’s name.
11. Legs Eleven: the number that looks like a pair of legs: eleven.
12. One Dozen: literally a dozen.
13. Unlucky for Some: the number 13 is said to be unlucky.
14. Valentine’s Day: February 14th is Valentine’s Day.
15. Young and Keen: another rhyme.
16. Sweet Sixteen: both a rhyme and a term relating to the “sweet sixteen” AKA the 16th birthday.
17. Dancing Queen: another rhyme. Could also reference ABBA’s song Dancing Queen.
18. Coming of Age: the age at which most people are considered to have become adults.
19. Goodbye Teens: the last year of teenage life.
20. One Score: literally one score (a score is 20).
21. Royal Salute: a reference to a 21 Gun Salute, where 21 guns are fired off to celebrate or commemorate certain occasions.
22. Two Little Ducks: references the fact that the numbers 22 look like two little ducks, in the same way that the number 2 looks like one little duck.
23. The Lord is My Shepherd: preferences Psalms 23 from the Bible.
24. Two Dozen: literally two dozen, or 24.
25. Duck and Dive: a rhyme. Duck and Dive is also said to reference a duck (2) and a snake (5).
26. Half a Crown: referencing half a crown, or 2 sixpence.
27. Gateway to Heaven: a rhyme.
28. In a State: a rhyme, as well as Cockney rhyming slang.
29. Rise and Shine: a rhyme.
30. Dirty Gertie: a rhyme. The name Dirty Gertie has been used in a range of other contexts.
31. Get Up and Run: a rhyme.
32. Buckle My Shoe: another rhyme.
33. All The Threes: both numbers are threes.
34. Ask for more: a rhyme.
35. Jump and Jive: a rhyme.
36. Three Dozen: exactly three dozen.
37. More than Eleven: a rhyme that’s also technically true.
38. Christmas Cake: comes from Cockney rhyming slang.
39. 39 Steps: may be a reference to the film of the same name.
40. Life Begins: references ‘Life Begins at 40’
41. Time for Fun: a rhyme.
42. Willie the Pooh: a rhyme.
43. Down on your Knees: a rhyme.
44. Droopy Drawers: a rhyme. Some people say that 44 looks like a person wearing droopy drawers, too.
45. Halfway There: the exact midpoint of a 90 ball game.
46. Up to Tricks: a rhyme.
47. Four and Seven: literal.
48. Fur Dozen: four dozen.
49. PC: references ‘The Adventures of P.C. 49’.
50. Half a Century: half of 100 years.
51. Tweak of the Thumb: a rhyme.
52. Danny La Rue: a rhyme. Danny La Rue was also a famous Irish singer.
53. Here comes Herbie: references the famous Herbie car.
54. Clean the Floor: a rhyme.
55. Snakes Alive: 55 looks like two snakes.
56. Shotts Bus: a reference to the Shotts Bus like, or the no. 56 bus.
57. Heinz Varieties: references the 57 varieties of Heinz beans.
58. Make Them Wait: a rhyme.
59. Brighton Line: it takes 59 minutes to go from London to Brighton on said line.
60. Five Dozen: literally five dozen.
61. Baker’s Bun: a rhyme.
62. Tickety-Boo: a rhyme.
63. Tickle Me: a rhyme.
64. Redraw: a rhyme.
65. Old Age Pension: the pension age.
66. Clickety Click: meant to be a rhyme.
67. Stairway to Heaven: a rhyme.
68. Pick a Mate: a rhyme.
69. Any Way Up: 69 flipped upside-down looks the same.
70. Three Score and Ten: literal.
71. Bang on The Drum: a rhyme.
72. Six Dozen: literal.
73. Queen Bee: a rhyme.
74. Hit The Floor: a rhyme.
75. Strive and Strive: a rhyme.
76. Trombones: references the 76 Trombones.
77. Double Hockey Sticks: 77 looks like two hockey sticks.
78. 39 More Steps: double call 39.
79. One More Time: a rhyme.
80. Ghandi’s Breakfast: the idea that Ghandi “8 nothing”.
81. Stop and Run: a rhyme.
82. Straight on Through: a rhyme.
83. Time for Tea: a rhyme.
84. Seven Dozen: literal.
85. Staying Alive: a rhyme.
86. Between the Sticks: a rhyme.
87. Torquay in Devon: a rhyme.
88. Two Fat Ladies: 88 looks like two fat ladies standing next to one another. Two fat ladies is commonly used outside of bingo, too.
89. Nearly There: the player is one away from the 90th ball.
90. Top of The Shop / End of The Line: the highest possible of all bingo calls in the game.

What Are These Bingo Calls For?

Bingo calls like this might not be as accessible as the numbers, but they’re more memorable and much more entertaining to say. You might find them being used at some of the latest bingo sites when playing online.

Many long-time bingo players pick up bingo calls like this as a way of entertaining themselves and adding an ‘insider’ feeling to the game. Some players even see it as a rite of bingo passage, since the bingo calls can be hard to learn.

Should I Use These Bingo Calls?

Royal Salute Bingo Clip Art

The bingo calls aren’t as easy to use as you might expect, but that’s part of the appeal: the calls make bingo a more difficult game that relies on players being able to remember certain terms based on their sounds or meanings.

Royal Salute Owner

In reality, there really isn’t any reason for these calls to exist: they just do, and bingo players have been using some of them for years without any idea of why the calls are still as popular as they are.

Royal Salute Bingo Fundraiser

If you’re interested in bingo and want to feel like more of an insider, or just want to add something extra to bingo if you’re starting to get used to how it works, these bingo terms can be an interesting way to shake it up without changing the games themselves.