Bingo Calls, Lingo and Slang Terms

We have put together a list of some of our favourite funny and rude bingo calls, lingo and slang terms you may hear in a bingo hall.

As playing online bingo continues to grow in popularity in the UK, more and more bingo players are rushing to the web for their chance to win big. However, for new players, the vocabulary used on the sites and by other players can be both confusing and overwhelming.

While most people are familiar with some basic 2024 bingo terms, the vocabulary used in the online bingo community varies slightly from the terms used in a regular game of bingo.

Now, you have heard of Lucky Seven, Dancing Queen – 17, 39 Steps and Garden Gate – number 8, but what other calls are there? Have you heard of Danny la Rue, 72?

To make the process for new players an easier transition, we’ve covered some of the most confusing aspects of play such as traditional bingo calls and rude bingo calls. We’ve also included several other tips and tricks to keep you from stepping on anyone’s toes the first few times you play.

Funny Bingo Calls

If you are not familiar with the cockney rhyming slang and funny calls, don’t worry – we are here to teach you with a complete list of bingo terms.

While you may be confused if someone asks you if they just called Dirty Gertie, they’re merely using dirty bingo words. These are also known as alternative bingo calls, adult bingo calls or bingo call nicknames.

Usually made up of funny or inappropriate short phrases that rhyme with a given number, such as 30 “Dirty Girty”. These funny bingo sayings and callouts can also make a cultural reference, such as “All the Beans” for 57. These funny bingo names and sayings help to create a lighthearted atmosphere. They also help people remember which numbers have been called.

Originally used to catch players’ attention in a noisy, crowded bingo hall, creating funny words or phrases associated with each number kept gameplay interesting and prevented bingo callers from repeating themselves multiple times.

Although no longer needed as bingo has gone electronic, these funny bingo phrases have persisted and are still sometimes used in online play as well as mobile bingo games.

Rude Bingo Calls UK

Here are some of our favourite funny rude bingo calls and slang terms which you’ll hear in person and online:

• 24 – Did you score?
• 37 – One night in heaven
• 71 – J-Lo’s bum
• 78 – Let’s procreate
• 87 – Grandma’s gone to heaven
• 88 – Two Fat Ladies

Lots of different variations for these rude bingo numbers are used by different bingo halls and online sites in the UK. Certain callers will have their favourite versions or their own rude bingo call sheet which they always like to use.

Some may see them as inappropriate bingo nicknames, but most people find them quite funny. Those calling the numbers get to decide which ones are actually used in the game.

Dirty Bingo Calls

Although there are many similarities, dirty bingo calls tend to vary from site to site and from player to player. Each bingo caller script will be different so you’ll probably hear a range of versions for these callouts. You might also come across some swearing bingo calls in certain games that you play.

Some of these bingo number names include “young and keen” for 15, “droopy drawers” for 44, or “dirty knees” for 33. You will probably have heard more crude bingo calls during certain games or even when playing online.

While most are meant to be funny or make players smile, some rude bingo calls do exist in 2024. One such dirty bingo numbers nickname is the “either way up” call that can sometimes be used for the number 69. There are plenty more funny very rude bingo calls that you may have heard, or you could think of yourself, it’s all about imagination!

There are loads of variations on the naughty bingo call names that you may have heard in the past. Most players have a good laugh listening to them during a game. However, some of these naughty bingo calls should be strictly reserved for an adult audience!

How Many Numbers Are Called in Bingo?

A typical Bingo game uses the numbers 1 to 90.

However there are a few variations of the game, some have 80 balls, and some have 75 balls. Many of the callers will use funny bingo numbers and names to make the game more fun. Keep reading below to see more about the different types of bingo people play.

Types of Bingo

Most popular bingo sites offer more than one variety of bingo, which can be confusing for players new to the game. While all varieties are essentially the same, with a caller announcing numbers and players daubing those on their cards, some games vary based on the number of balls used to play.

90 Ball

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.

75 Ball

More popular in the US than in the UK, 75 Ball Bingo is played with 5X5 grid tickets with a free space in the middle. Because of the shape of the card, there are many more different ways to create a winning combination in this style of bingo play.

Memes

If you are an avid bingo goer and you love the new funny bingo lingo, you will be sure to love the collection of bingo memes we have put together for you.

Now you know all about the crude bingo call phrases and inappropriate bingo calls, you may be interested to know some of the more well-known bingo slang terms too. There are plenty of traditional bingo lingo calls, two little ducks (22) being one of our favourites.

UK Bingo Calls and Slang Terms

Here is a list of funny bingo calls:

1. Kelly’s Eye, Number 1	2. One Little Duck	3. Cup of Tea
4. Knock at the Door	5. Man Alive	6. Half a Dozen / Tom Mix
7. Lucky Seven	8. Garden Gate	9. Doctor’s Orders
10. Boris’s Den (Prime Minister)	11. Legs Eleven	12. One Dozen
13. Unlucky for Some	14. Valentine’s Day	15. Young and Keen
16. Sweet Sixteen / Never Been Kissed	17. Dancing Queen	18. Coming of Age
19. Goodbye Teens	20. One Score	21. Royal Salute / Key of the Door
22. Two Little Ducks	23. Thee and Me	24. Two Dozen
25. Duck and Dive	26. Pick and Mix	27. Gateway to Heaven
28. In a State / Overweight	29. Rise and Shine	30. Dirty Gertie
31. Get Up and Run	32. Buckle my Shoe	33. Dirty Knee
34. Ask for More	35. Jump and Jive	36. Three Dozen
37. More than Eleven	38. Christmas Cake	39. Steps
40. Life Begins / Naughty Forty	41. Time for Fun	42. Winnie the Pooh
43. Down on your Knees	44. Droopy Drawers	45. Halfway There
46. Up to Tricks	47. Four and Seven	48. Four Dozen
49. PC	50. Half a Century	51. Tweak of the Thumb
52. Danny La Rue	53. Here Comes Herbie / Stuck in the Tree	54. Clean the Floor
55. Snakes Alive	56. Was She Worth It?	57. Heinz Varieties
58. Make them Wait	59. Brighton Line	60. Five Dozen
61. Bakers Bun	62. Turn the Screw / Tickety Boo	63. Tickle Me
64. Red Raw	65. Old Age Pension	66. Clickety Click
67. Stairway to Heaven	68. Saving Grace	69. Either Way Up
70. Three Score and Ten	71. Bang on the Drum	72. Six Dozen
73. Queen Bee	74. Hit the Floor	75. Strive and Strive
76. Trombones	77. Sunset Strip	78. Heaven’s Gate
79. One More Time	80. Eight and Blank	81. Stop and Run / Fat Lady with a Walking Stick
82. Straight on Through	83. Time for Tea \ Stop Farting	84. Seven Dozen
85. Staying Alive	86. Between the Sticks	87. Torquay in Devon
88. Two Fat Ladies	89. Nearly There or Almost There	90. Top of the Shop

Bingo Calls Based on Rhymes

A lot of the bingo names you will hear come from rhyming slang or just simple rhyming words and phrases. Here are some of the most popular ones.

• 8. Garden Gate – The historical meaning of the phrase ‘garden gate’ can sometimes refer to secret meeting points for gangs and other groups.
• 17. Dancing Queen – This one references the ABBA song from 1976, with the chorus line “You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only 17.”
• 52. Danny La Rue – A pop culture reference based on the Irish singer known for cross-dressing.
• 62. Turn the Screw – Some British callers will use the phrase ‘Tickety Boo’ instead. This saying means that something is good, or as it should be.

Calls Based on the Shape of the Number

Some of the funny bingo calls you hear are a play on the visuals of the number itself and how it is shaped.

• 11. Legs Eleven – This name comes from the fact that the two digits look like a pair of legs.
• 22. Two Little Ducks – The shape of the 2 looks like a duck floating on the water, the number is also referred to as ‘quack quack’ sometimes.
• 25. Duck and Dive – Similar to the last one, the 2 is shaped like a duck, but the 5 looks like an upside-down 2, showing the duck diving under the water.
• 69. Either Way Up – The two digits, 6 and 9, can be flipped upside-down to look like each other.
• 77. Double Hockey Sticks – The shape of the number 7 is similar to the shape of a hockey stick.
• 88. Two Fat Ladies – A favourite in the bingo halls, the number curves of the two number 8s give the appearance of two large ladies.

Calls Based on Historical References

Below are some of the popular bingo calls which stem from history. Most of these came from the 1950s and 60s when bingo became extremely popular.

• 1. Kelly’s Eye – Most people believe this is a reference to Ned Kelly, a famous Australian folk singer.
• 9. Doctors Orders – This dates back to World War II when soldiers were given a number 9 pill to help with a specific illness.
• 21. Royal Salute – This is linked to the 21-gun salute you’ll see at royal and military events.
• 39. Steps – The 39 steps is a very popular Alfred Hitchcock film from the 1930s.
• 49. PC – Comes from the TV show called ‘The Adventures of PC 49’ which aired from 1946-53.
• 57. Heinz Varieties – The Heinz brand has 57 varieties of tinned beans.
• 76. Tombones. – This comes from a line in a song from ‘The Music Man’ which says ‘Seventy six trombones led the big parade’.

Summary

So there you have it, there are so many comedy bingo calls out there to use in your next game. We love using these funny phrases, even if some are a little crude or inappropriate. It’s all part of the fun.

Thanks for reading all about our Favourite Funny Rude Bingo Calls, Lingo and Slang Terms 2024. We hope you can put some of these to use in your next bingo game!