When you’re playing bingo online, it doesn’t take a fox’s keen eye to see what the bingo numbers are. With everything on the screen, even a blind mouse could follow what’s going on - more or less…
It’s not quite that easy when you play at a bingo hall, so you’ll need to listen out for the bingo calls. A great bingo caller can make a huge difference, especially when they inject a bit of fun into the numbers.
Maybe you're thinking of stepping up to the platform to be a caller yourself, or perhaps you just want to know how to spot a good one. Whichever it is, we're here to help you spot what makes a bingo caller stand out from the crowd.
Good Bingo Callers - How to Spot Them
Dreary or mundane bingo calls can really make a game drag, but how do you spot the ones that make the game fun?
A clear speaking voice and expert knowledge are a good starting point, but bingo calling is about more than just the technicalities. It could be a twinkle to their tone, a sense of humour and confidence can all help to make a good bingo caller.
And someone with a sense of rhythm too - the numbers should be called at a good speed, neither too fast nor too slow, but in a regular rhythm so you can settle into play.
Finally, it's easy to get mixed up during the games, and there's nothing more cringeworthy than yelling "house" when you've got a full line - when you're supposed to be playing for the full card! A bingo caller that knows his chips will keep reminding the room of what they're playing for, whether it's one line, two lines or a full card.
Cheese or Not to Cheese
The traditional number sayings have been around for ages, and they really divide opinion. Some people love the fun of them, others hate them - but they’re not about to go away.
The nicknames were first introduced to prevent misunderstandings and to make the numbers clearer. With big display boards, they're less of a necessity now, but some people just really love the fun of them.
Some bingo halls, especially the smaller ones, still use number nicknames, so here's a run-through of the most common ones:
● Number 1 - Kelly's eye | Blind one
● Number 2 - Me and you | One little duck
● Number 3 - You and me
● Number 4 - Knock at the door
● Number 5 - Man alive
● Number 6 - Tom’s tricks
● Number 7 - God’s in heaven
● Number 8 - One fat lady | Garden gate
● Number 9 - Doctor’s orders
● Number 10 - one oh, number 10 | <insert current Prime Minister’s name> den
● Number 11 - legs eleven, all the ones
● Number 12 - one dozen, a monkey’s cousin
● Number 13 - Unlucky for some
● Number 14 - Valentine’s Day
● Number 15 - Rugby team | Young and keen
● Number 16 - Sweet sixteen | Never been kissed
● Number 17 - Often been kissed | Dancing queen
● Number 18 - Coming of age | Key of the door
● Number 19 - Goodbye teens
● Number 20 - Getting plenty | Blind 20
● Number 21 - Key of the door | Royal salute
● Number 22 - Two little ducks
● Number 23 - Thee and me
● Number 24 - Two dozen
● Number 25 - Duck and dive
● Number 26 - Bed and breakfast | Pick and mix | Half a crown
● Number 27 - Gateway to heaven | Little duck with a crutch
● Number 28 - Overweight | In a state
● Number 29 - You’re doing fine | Rise and shine
● Number 30 - Dirty Gertie | Burlington Bertie | Flirty Thirty | Speed limit | Blind 30
● Number 31 - Get up and run
● Number 32 - Buckle my shoe
● Number 33 - Two little fleas | All the feathers | Sherwood Forest | Dirty knees
● Number 34 - Ask for more
● Number 35 - Jump and jive
● Number 36 - Three dozen
● Number 37 - A flea in heaven
● Number 38 - Christmas cake
● Number 39 - Those famous steps
● Number 40 - Naughty forty | life begins
● Number 41 - Time for fun
● Number 42 - Winny the Pooh
● Number 43 - Down on your knees
● Number 44 - Droopy drawers
● Number 45 - Halfway there | Halfway house
● Number 46 - Up to tricks
● Number 47 - Four and seven
● Number 48 - Four dozen
● Number 49 - Nick nick | Copper | PC
● Number 50 - Blind 50 | Bulls eye | Half a century
● Number 51 - Tweak of the thumb
● Number 52 - Danny La Rue | Weeks in a year
● Number 53 - Stuck in the tree | Here comes Herbie
● Number 54 - Clean the floor
● Number 55 - Snakes alive
● Number 56 - Was she worth it?
● Number 57 - Heinz varieties
● Number 58 - Make them wait | Choo Choo Thomas
● Number 59 - Brighton line
● Number 60 - Five dozen | Blind 60 | Three score
● Number 61 - Bakers bun
● Number 62 - Turn on the screw | Tickety boo
● Number 63 - Des Eerie | Tickle me
● Number 64 - The Beatles number | Red raw | Almost retired
● Number 65 - Old age pension
● Number 66 - Clickety click
● Number 67 - Made in heaven
● Number 68 - Saving grace
● Number 69 - Your place or mine | The same both ways | Meal for two | Either way up
● Number 70 - Blind 70 | Three score and ten
● Number 71 - Bang on the drum
● Number 72 - A crutch and a duck
● Number 73 - A crutch and a flea | Queen bee
● Number 74 - Hit the floor | Candy store
● Number 75 - Strive and strive
● Number 76 - Trombones
● Number 77 - Two little crutches | Sunset strip
● Number 78 - Heaven’s gate
● Number 79 - One more time
● Number 80 - Blind 80 | Gandhi’s breakfast | Eight and blank
● Number 81 - Fat lady and a little wee | Stop and run
● Number 82 - Fat lady with a duck | Straight on through
● Number 83 - Time for tea | Fat lady with a flea
● Number 84 - Seven dozen
● Number 85 - Staying alive
● Number 86 - Between the sticks
● Number 87 - Torquay in Devon
● Number 88 - Two fat ladies
● Number 89 - All but one | Nearly there
● Number 90 - Top of the house | Top of the shop | End of the line | Blind 90
Not all of these number nicknames are suitable for a PG audience so you’ll have to tailor which ones you use to the room if you’re planning on being a caller yourself!
Even though it’s all online here at Foxy, we love a good bingo call! If you want to know more about bingo, why not check out our guides on how to play bingo online and how to host a bingo night?
