A Guide to Bingo Calls

Bingo calls are a huge part of the game we all love. In fact, they bring the game to life! Instead of numbers being called on their own, callers add to the excitement by using Bingo calls that rhyme or include references that put smiles on players’ faces.

Before playing, it’s good to know your two little ducks from your Danny La Rues. In this short guide, Hearties can learn which numbers match which phrases. A quick read and you’ll be ready when you play your next game at the home of feel-good Bingo.

Bingo Caller Numbers and Bingo Rhymes

There are Bingo rhymes for every number in a 90-ball bingo game. From funny Bingo calls such as two fat ladies to classic Bingo number rhymes like jump and jive.

But where did all this Bingo lingo come from? It started in mid-20th century London when many of the rhymes were used to send secret messages. Bingo players got hold of these, one thing led to another, and soon they were used in Bingo calling. It helped players tell numbers apart – 17 and 70 can sound very similar when you’re at the back of the Bingo Hall!

Nowadays, some numbers even have more than one Bingo rhyme. And in 2003, as bingo became more popular with younger players, Butlins holiday camps introduced some modern calls of their own to help bingo calling move with the times.

Below, you can see a complete list of Bingo caller numbers:

Number	Bingo Call	Number	Bingo Call	Number	Bingo Call
1	Kelly’s Eye	31	Get up and run	61	Baker’s bun
2	One little duck	32	Buckle my shoe	62	Tickety-boo OR Turn the screw
3	Cup of tea	33	Dirty knee	63	Tickle me
4	Knock at the door	34	Ask for more	64	Red raw OR Almost retired
5	Man alive	35	Jump and jive	65	Old-age pension
6	Half a dozen	36	Three dozen	66	Clickety click
7	Lucky	37	More than 11	67	Stairway to heaven
8	Garden gate	38	Christmas cake	68	Saving grace
9	Doctor’s orders	39	Steps	69	Anyway up OR Favourite of mine
10	[Current Prime Minister’s] den	40	Life begins OR Naughty 40	70	Three score and 10
11	Legs eleven	41	Time for fun	71	Bang on the drum
12	One dozen	42	Winnie the Pooh	72	Six dozen
13	Unlucky for some	43	Down on your knees	73	Queen bee
14	Valentine’s Day	44	Droopy drawers	74	Hit the floor OR Candy store
15	Young and keen	45	Halfway there	75	Strive and strive
16	Sweet 16	46	Up to tricks	76	Trombones
17	Dancing Queen	47	Four and seven	77	Sunset strip
18	Come of age	48	Four dozen	78	39 more steps OR Heaven’s gate
19	Goodbye teens	49	PC	79	One more time
20	One score	50	Half a century OR It’s a bullseye!	80	Gandhi’s breakfast or Eight and blank
21	Royale salute OR Key of the door	51	Tweak of the thumb	81	Stop and run
22	Two little ducks	52	Danny La Rue OR Deck of cards	82	Straight on through
23	Thee and me	53	Here comes Herbie OR Stuck in a tree	83	Time for tea
24	Two dozen	54	Clean the floor OR Man at the door	84	Give me more OR Seven dozen
25	Duck and dive	55	All the fives OR Snakes alive	85	Staying alive
26	Pick and mix	56	Shotts bus OR Was she worth it?	86	Between the sticks
27	Duck and a crutch OR Gateway to Heaven	57	Heinz varieties	87	Torquay in Devon
28	In a state OR Overweight	58	Make them wait	88	Two fat ladies
29	Rise and shine	59	Brighton line	89	Nearly there
30	Dirty Gertie	60	Five dozen	90	Top of the shop