Bingo lingo at a glance
- Bingo calls are nicknames a caller adds to a number, mostly in UK 90-ball bingo, like "legs eleven" for 11 and "top of the shop" for 90.
- Most calls come from rhymes ("cup of tea" for 3) or the shapes of numbers ("two little ducks" for 22).
- Calls vary between clubs and regions, and many modern hosts skip or update older nicknames.
- The number itself is always called, so nobody needs to know the lingo to play.
Traditional bingo calls and sayings
These are some of the best-known calls. Clubs and callers have their own versions, so you'll hear different nicknames in different places.
| Number | Call | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kelly's eye | Origin uncertain |
| 2 | One little duck | The 2 looks like a duck |
| 3 | Cup of tea | Rhymes with three |
| 4 | Knock at the door | Rhymes with four |
| 5 | Man alive | Rhymes with five |
| 6 | Half a dozen | Six is half of twelve |
| 7 | Lucky seven | Seven is often called lucky |
| 8 | Garden gate | Rhymes with eight |
| 11 | Legs eleven | The two 1s look like legs |
| 12 | One dozen | Twelve is a dozen |
| 13 | Unlucky for some | Thirteen is often called unlucky |
| 14 | Valentine's Day | February 14 |
| 15 | Young and keen | Rhymes with fifteen |
| 16 | Sweet sixteen | A familiar phrase |
| 18 | Coming of age | Adulthood in many places |
| 19 | Goodbye teens | The last teenage year |
| 20 | One score | A score is twenty |
| 21 | Key of the door | A traditional coming-of-age birthday |
| 22 | Two little ducks | Each 2 looks like a duck |
| 23 | Thee and me | Rhymes with twenty-three |
| 24 | Two dozen | Twice twelve |
| 25 | Duck and dive | Rhymes with twenty-five |
| 26 | Pick and mix | Rhymes with twenty-six |
| 27 | Gateway to heaven | Rhymes with twenty-seven |
| 29 | Rise and shine | Rhymes with twenty-nine |
| 31 | Get up and run | Rhymes with thirty-one |
| 32 | Buckle my shoe | Rhymes with thirty-two |
| 34 | Ask for more | Rhymes with thirty-four |
| 35 | Jump and jive | Rhymes with thirty-five |
| 36 | Three dozen | Three times twelve |
| 45 | Halfway there | Halfway to 90 |
| 48 | Four dozen | Four times twelve |
| 50 | Half a century | Fifty years |
| 55 | Snakes alive | The 5s look like snakes |
| 60 | Five dozen | Five times twelve |
| 62 | Tickety-boo | Rhymes with sixty-two |
| 64 | Red raw | Rhymes with sixty-four |
| 66 | Clickety click | Rhymes with sixty-six |
| 71 | Bang on the drum | Rhymes with seventy-one |
| 72 | Six dozen | Six times twelve |
| 73 | Queen bee | Rhymes with seventy-three |
| 80 | Eight and blank | An 8 next to a blank 0 |
| 81 | Stop and run | Rhymes with eighty-one |
| 82 | Straight on through | Rhymes with eighty-two |
| 83 | Time for tea | Rhymes with eighty-three |
| 84 | Seven dozen | Seven times twelve |
| 85 | Staying alive | Rhymes with eighty-five |
| 86 | Between the sticks | Rhymes with eighty-six |
| 88 | Two fat ladies | The shape of the two 8s |
| 89 | Nearly there | One before 90 |
| 90 | Top of the shop | The highest number in 90-ball bingo |
Bingo terms glossary
- Bingo lingo
- The nicknames, sayings, and slang used in bingo games, especially traditional number calls in the UK.
- Blackout (coverall)
- A pattern where every square on the card must be marked. In 90-ball bingo, the equivalent is a full house.
- Board (flashboard)
- A display that shows every number called so far, so players and the caller can check.
- Caller
- The person, or app, that draws and announces each number or word.
- Card
- A 75-ball playing sheet, usually 5 × 5 with a free space in the middle.
- Coverall
- Another name for blackout: marking every square.
- Crazy pattern
- A pattern that counts in any rotation, like a crazy T pointing up, down, left, or right.
- Dauber (dabber)
- A bottle-shaped marker with a foam tip filled with ink, used to dot called numbers.
- Double bingo
- A pattern that needs two complete lines on the same card.
- Early bird game
- A warm-up game played before the main session begins.
- Eyes down
- A traditional call meaning the game is about to start and players should concentrate.
- False call
- Calling bingo when the card doesn't actually complete the pattern.
- Four corners
- A pattern that needs only the four corner squares.
- Free space
- The center square of a 75-ball card, which counts as already marked.
- Full house
- In 90-ball bingo, marking all 15 numbers on a ticket, usually the biggest prize.
- Hardway bingo
- A line that doesn't use the free space.
- Housie (housey-housey)
- An older name for bingo, still used in some places, including for 90-ball games.
- Line
- Any complete row, column, or diagonal on a 75-ball card, or any complete row on a 90-ball ticket.
- Pattern
- The shape a player must complete to win a round, announced before the first call.
- Picture frame
- A pattern that needs every square around the outside edge of the card.
- Postage stamp
- A pattern that needs a 2 × 2 block of squares in a corner.
- Session
- A set of games played in one sitting.
- Strip
- A set of six 90-ball tickets that together use every number from 1 to 90 once.
- Ticket
- A 90-ball playing sheet with 3 rows and 9 columns and 15 numbers.
- Tombola
- A name for a lotto-style number game in Italy and elsewhere, related to bingo.
- Two lines
- In 90-ball bingo, two complete rows on the same ticket.
- Wild pattern
- A pattern that can sit anywhere on the card.
Using bingo lingo when you host
- Always say the number. "Legs eleven, number 11" keeps everyone playing.
- Pick a few favorites rather than trying to learn all of them.
- Know your crowd. Some older nicknames don't suit every group; plain numbers are always fine.
- Let the caller help. The free bingo caller reads each number aloud, so you can add the nicknames yourself.
For how the game works, see the bingo rules guide, the patterns guide, and 90-ball tickets.
Frequently asked questions
What is bingo lingo?
Bingo lingo is the set of nicknames, sayings, and terms used in bingo, like calling 11 "legs eleven" or 88 "two fat ladies," and words like dauber, coverall, and full house. The callers' nicknames are a tradition in UK bingo halls, and most are based on rhymes or the shapes of the numbers.
What do bingo callers say?
Callers announce each number, and in traditional UK 90-ball bingo they often add a nickname, like "Kelly's eye, number one," "legs eleven," or "top of the shop, number 90." The number itself is always said, so players don't need to know the nicknames.
What is a dauber in bingo?
A dauber, or dabber, is a bottle-shaped marker with a foam tip filled with ink. Players press it on a square to mark a called number.
What is a coverall in bingo?
A coverall, also called a blackout, is a pattern where every square on the card must be marked. It usually takes the most calls and gets the biggest prize.
What does eyes down mean in bingo?
"Eyes down" is a traditional call meaning the game is about to start, so players should look at their cards and concentrate.
Why is 88 two fat ladies in bingo?
The call comes from the shape of the number: each 8 is said to look like a round figure, so 88 became "two fat ladies." Some modern hosts skip or update older nicknames.
Do I have to use bingo calls when I host?
No. Calling the plain number is always fine. Nicknames add fun for groups who know them, but the caller should still say each number clearly.