Bingo calls around the world
Bingo calls, also known as Bingo nicknames or Bingo lingo, vary worldwide.
However, many of the most popular ones originate from British Bingo halls. Here’s a list of some of the most well-known Bingo calls and their meanings:
1 – “Kelly’s Eye” – Refers to the one-eyed nature of the number one.
6 – “Tom Mix” – Rhymes with “six” and refers to a famous American film actor.
8 – “Garden Gate” – Rhymes with “eight.”
11 – “Legs Eleven” – The number 11 resembles a pair of legs.
13 – “Lucky for Some” – Based on the superstition that 13 is unlucky for some, yet lucky for others.
13 – “Unlucky for Some” – Another reference to the superstition around the number 13.
17 – “Dancing Queen” – From the ABBA song title, the lyrics mention “young and sweet, only seventeen“.
21 – “Key of the Door” – Traditionally, in the UK, young people were given the key to their family home at 21.
22 – “Two Little Ducks” – The number 22 visually resembles two ducks.
30 – “Dirty Gertie” – Rhymes with “thirty” and refers to a character from a World War II song.
40 – “Life Begins” – Based on the phrase “life begins at 40.”
42 – “Winnie the Pooh” – Rhymes with “forty-two.”
57 – “Heinz Varieties” – Refers to the “57 Varieties” slogan used by Heinz.
66 – “Clickety-Click” – A rhyming phrase that’s easy to remember.
88 – “Two Fat Ladies” – The number 88 resembles two overweight women standing side by side.
India
In India, Bingo calls often incorporate Hindi or other local languages. Below are two examples of how this is done:
6 – “Chakka” – This means six in Hindi and is also a type of sweet found in India.
56 – “Chhappan Bhog” – Refers to the festive offering of 56 dishes to Krisna.
Spain
In Spain, Bingo calls are often associated with popular phases within the country. Below are some examples:
15 – “La niña bonita” – Translates to “the pretty girl”.
22 – “Patitos en el agua” – Translates to “little ducks in the water”.
United States of America (USA)
Despite the catchy rhymes and calls found in British Bingo halls, across the waters in the USA, numbers are often called out with their column letter, with no rhyme.
In the USA, Bingo cards have a five-by-five grid of numbers under the letters B-I-N-G-O. The ‘B’ column contains numbers from one to 15, ‘I’ from 16 to 30, ‘N’ from 31 to 45, ‘G’ from 46 to 60, and ‘O’ from 61 to 75.
A caller randomly selects and announces numbers using a ball machine or computerised system. The numbers are then called as a letter-number combination (e.g., “B-12”, “O-69”).
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These regional variations reflect local culture, language, and humour. They add unique elements to the game in different parts of the world, making Bingo a pastime with local twists.
Often, Bingo games found online don’t use these traditional calls, yet the calls are still a part of the Bingo culture in many brick-and-mortar Bingo halls around the world.
