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The Ultimate List of UK Bingo Calls

The Ultimate List of UK Bingo Calls

Online bingo has been one of the UK’s biggest pastimes since it arrived on our shores in the early 1960s. Bingo was greeted with a massive rise in popularity and passion due to its easy rules and its ability to be adapted to charity work or even fair raffle games.

Even though attendance is declining at bingo halls the online bingo scene is expanding faster than we can keep track of! It seems that bingo is, in fact, here to stay so let's get you prepared to delve into this great game by giving you an insight on everyone's favourite part of bingo… The callouts!

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First 10 - Bingo's Most Famous Calls outs

1 – Kelly’s eye

This is a reference either to Ned Kelly from ned kelly's helmet or after the famous valiant comics strip “Kelly's Eye” where the character receives a powerful amulet that contained magic! Don't we all wish we had a magic amulet!

2 – One little duck

This is a reference to the shape of the number two and how it resembles a duck! simple, yes, but effective!

3 – Cup of tea

If you're offering! This is basically just a rhyming couplet for the number 3!

4 – Knock at the door

The average number of knocks that people rap on a door. It also rhymes!

5 – Man alive

An ancient bingo call from its inception, a great rhyming word!

6 – Tom Mix/Half a dozen

Exactly what it says, 6 is half a dozen!

7 – Lucky seven

A lucky number for anyone who win a full house on this number!

8 – Garden gate

This was used as a code for a secret meeting or drop off point! Or it might just rhyme!

9 – Doctor’s orders

The number 9 pill was given by military doctors to patients with an illness!

10 – [Prime Minister’s name]’s den

This refers to 10 downing street and whatever prime minister is in there at the time!

Legs 11 Onwards - Online Bingo Call outs

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11 – Legs eleven

The number eleven looks like a pair of legs!

12 – One dozen

12 is one dozen, a nice even number!

13 – Unlucky for some

An unlucky number in popular culture, beware if you win on this number!

14 – Valentine’s Day

This one references the 14th of February, valentines day!

15 – Young and keen

15 rhymes with keen, that's all there is to this one!

16 – Sweet 16 

A saying for a girls 16th birthday, sweet sixteen!

17 – Dancing queen

“Young and sweet only 17” a reference to the ABBA hit!

18 – Coming of age

The age of legal drinking in the UK and the age where many believe you become an adult

19 – Goodbye teens

19 is the last teenage year so this is referencing to the end of your teens!

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Twenty's Plenty Onwards - No Deposit Bingo Call Numbers

20 – One score 

There are twenty units in a score of something. A unit of measurement

21 – Royal salute / Key of the door

This is a reference to the 21 gun salute for special occasions in the military! Our favourite callout in all bingo games.

22 – Two little ducks

The twos in bingo resemble ducks, two little ducks floating by!

23 – The Lord is my shepherd

This is a reference to psalms 23 “the lord is my shepherd”

24 – Two dozen

What it says on the tin, two dozen!

25 – Duck and dive

2 is a duck and five looks like a snake, so duck away from the snake!!!

26 – Half a crown

Two sixpence was the currency that made up half a crown in old British currency.

27 – Gateway to heaven

A reference to the stairway to heaven, also it's a nice way to think of winning a full house!

28 – In a state

This is taken from cockney rhyming slang “he was two and eight “ which means...you guessed it… in a state!

29 – Rise and shine

These numbers simply just rhyme with its counterpart, a great way to start the day!

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Dirty 30 - Ultimate Bingo Number Names

30 – Dirty Gertie

This one references a statue that stands in north London of a naked woman, it could also refer to the world war 2 song dirty Gertie from Bizerte

31 – Get up and run

If you hear this one you need to get up and run around the bingo room, we won't take no for an answer!

32 – Buckle my shoe

Another rhyming match referencing the buckling of a shoe!

33 – All the threes/Fish, chips and peas

This represents all the 3’s that you can get in a game of bingo, also it is a reference to a lovely chippy tea!

34 – Ask for more

A rhyming match with the number 34! Nothing less nothing more.

35 – Jump and jive

This is a reference to the dance move, funnily enough, if you call house on this number you have to dance on stage!

36 – Three dozen

This one is simpler than the rest of them, its what it says on the tin. 3 dozen is 36!

37 – More than eleven

A basic rhyming phrase that doesn't means much at all!

38 – Christmas cake

This is another rhyming call, but is actually derived from Cockney rhyming slang.

39 – 39 steps

This call is a reference to the popular movie called 39 Steps.

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Life Starts at 40 - Online Bingo Game Calls Numbers

40 – Life begins

Some say that 40 is when life really begins...

41 – Time for fun

If life really has begun now, then it’s time to have some fun!

42 – Winnie the Pooh

This is a rhyming call that mentions the well-loved bear created by A. A. Milne.

43 – Down on your knees

This phrase was used in wartime by soldiers.

44 – Droopy drawers

This call refers to the fact that 44 looks like someone with saggy pants.

45 – Halfway there

This signifies the halfway point from 1 to 90 (the amount of balls that can be called in a bingo game).

46 – Up to tricks

A simple rhyming call!

47 – Four and seven

You don't need to be a genius to work this one out!

48 – Four dozen

The fourth dozen from 1-90.

49 – PC

This is a reference to the popular show “The Adventures of P.c. 49” about a police constable working in London.

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Swifty Fifty - Our Top Online Bingo Numbers Names

50 – Half a century

This one is pretty self-explanatory...

51 – Tweak of the thumb

Yet another rhyming call!

52 – Danny La Rue

Danny La Rue is a call referring to the popular Irish singer who was well known for cross-dressing.

53 – Here comes Herbie

This is the number that appears on the side of the iconic Herbie car.

54 – Clean the floor

Everybody wants to clean the floor with the competition when they’re playing bingo.

55 – Snakes alive

This call refers to the shape of the numbers as they resemble snakes preparing to strike.

56 – Shotts Bus / Was she worth it?

A marriage license used to cost 5 shillings and sixpence. So, the bingo callers ask the room if it was worth it.

57 – Heinz varieties

Even though the company sells a lot of products, it is famously known for producing 57 varieties of canned beans. 

58 – Make them wait

This is another rhyming call but people usually call ‘Choo Choo, Thomas’ back.

59 – Brighton Line

Brighton line is so-called because in 59 minutes, someone can travel from Brighton to London. Especially if they want a fun bingo game.

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Getting Old - Online Bingo Calling Numbers Names

60 – Five dozen / Grandma’s getting frisky

This is either called as the fifth dozen or the age that women could typically retire in the UK.

61 – Baker’s bun

Another rhyming call!

62 – Turn the screw / Tickety-boo

Both of these rhyme but tickety boo is an English phrase for ‘good’.

63 – Tickle me

A rhyming phrase that’s very cheeky!

64 – Redraw

Another rhyming call!

65 – Old age pension

Named in reference to the usual age that people retire.

66 – Clickety click

This isn’t the best rhyme but it is creative in that it sounds like a train.

67 – Stairway to heaven

An excellent rhyming call for those Led Zeppelin fans!

68 – Pick a mate

Everything's better with friends! Especially bingo!

69 – Any way up

This refers to the fact that the number 69 looks the same no matter if it is upside down.

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70s Upwards - Our Favourite Bingo Callouts

70 – Three score and ten

Did you know that bingo helps you learn your time's tables?

71 – Bang on the drum

Another rhyming one! Whoever made this one up was certainly imaginative...

72 – Six dozen

6 x 7 = 72. Hence, six dozen.

73 – Queen bee

We bet you’re buzzing when this number is called out!

74 – Hit the floor

This rhyme makes us want to groove on the dance floor!

75 – Strive and strive

This is the highest call in 75 ball bingo so strive for a full house!

76 – Trombones

This is a reference to the 76 trombones that led the parade in the 1972 musical and movie “The Music Man”.

77 – Double Hockey Sticks

The number seven is lucky for many people, so 77 must be double luck! However, this call refers to the fact that 77 looks like two hockey sticks.

78 – 39 more steps

See call 39 and double it!

79 – One more time

Although it may make you think of the legendary Britney Spears, it just rhymes.

80s - Bingo Calls outs & Number Names

80 – Gandhi's breakfast

This is a reference to the leader of the Indian Independence movement. It is a similar shape to him sitting cross-legged with his breakfast on a plate. We can’t really see it either...

81 – Stop and run

We’re still baffled by the meaning of this! Surely, this is impossible!

82 – Straight on through

This is similar to the 88 calls, wherein it refers to a curvy lady. However, this time, she appears with a duck!

83 – Time for tea

What makes bingo better? A nice cup of tea that happens to rhyme with three!

84 – Seven dozen

This is the last of the dozens! 

85 – Staying alive

Although this bingo call originated well before the Bee Gees, we still like to think that there’s a connection.

86 – Between the sticks

Not only is this call another one that rhymes but it also significant because 86 is the position of goalkeepers, who defend between the sticks.

87 – Torquay in Devon

Torquay in Devon is a call based on the rhyme. It originated from Torquay, which is a seaside town in Devon.

88 – Two fat ladies

This number is also based on the shape that it makes. It looks like two curvy ladies sitting next to each other.

89 – Nearly there

You can also call this number as ‘all but one’ due to the fact that it is one number away from the highest numeral.

90 – Top of the shop/end of the line / as far as we go

This call is pretty self-explanatory. It is the largest number that can be called and is, therefore, the end of the line.

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