The Art of the Bingo Call

Bingo calls are one of the most distinctive and charming features of British bingo. Rather than simply announcing a number, the caller recites a nickname — a rhyme, visual association, or cultural reference — that gives each number its own personality. These calls serve practical purposes too: rhymes and phrases help players confirm the number in a noisy hall, and the call-and-response tradition creates the social energy that defines bingo.

The tradition dates back decades, with many calls rooted in Cockney rhyming slang, wartime humor, and visual descriptions of the digits themselves.

Complete List of Traditional Bingo Calls

Numbers 1–10

Number Call Origin
1 Kelly’s Eye Named after Ned Kelly, the Australian outlaw, who had one eye visible through his helmet. Also refers to a one-eyed figure in military bingo.
2 One Little Duck The number 2 looks like a duck floating on water.
3 Cup of Tea Rhymes with three.
4 Knock at the Door Rhymes with four.
5 Man Alive Rhymes with five.
6 Tom Mix / Half a Dozen Tom Mix was a famous cowboy film star. Also simply “half a dozen.”
7 Lucky Seven Seven has been considered a lucky number across many cultures.
8 Garden Gate Rhymes with eight.
9 Doctor’s Orders Number 9 was a pill (a laxative) given by military doctors in World War II.
10 Boris’s Den / (Prime Minister’s) Downing Street A reference to 10 Downing Street. The first name changes with the current PM.

Numbers 11–20

Number Call Origin
11 Legs Eleven The two 1s resemble a pair of legs. Players often respond with a wolf whistle.
12 One Dozen Twelve items make a dozen.
13 Unlucky for Some Thirteen is traditionally considered unlucky.
14 Valentine’s Day February 14th is Valentine’s Day.
15 Young and Keen Rhymes with fifteen.
16 Sweet Sixteen A Coming-of-age milestone.
17 Dancing Queen From the ABBA song — “You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen.”
18 Coming of Age Eighteen is the legal age of adulthood in the UK.
19 Goodbye Teens The last teenage year.
20 One Score Twenty is one score in traditional counting.

Numbers 21–30

Number Call Origin
21 Royal Salute / Key of the Door A 21-gun salute and the traditional age for receiving a house key.
22 Two Little Ducks The two 2s look like a pair of ducks. Players often respond “quack quack.”
23 Thee and Me Rhymes with twenty-three.
24 Two Dozen Twenty-four equals two dozen.
25 Duck and Dive Rhymes with twenty-five.
26 Pick and Mix Rhymes with twenty-six.
27 Gateway to Heaven Rhymes with twenty-seven.
28 In a State / Overweight Rhymes with twenty-eight.
29 Rise and Shine Rhymes with twenty-nine.
30 Dirty Gertie / Burlington Bertie Rhyming slang. Also a revue character.

Numbers 31–40

Number Call Origin
31 Get Up and Run Rhymes with thirty-one.
32 Buckle My Shoe Rhymes with thirty-two.
33 Dirty Knee / All the Threes Visual: two 3s. Rhymes with thirty-three.
34 Ask for More Rhymes with thirty-four.
35 Jump and Jive Rhymes with thirty-five.
36 Three Dozen Thirty-six equals three dozen.
37 More Than Eleven A playful reference.
38 Christmas Cake Rhymes with thirty-eight.
39 Steps A reference to the book and film “The 39 Steps.”
40 Naughty Forty / Life Begins Forty is said to be when life begins.

Numbers 41–50

Number Call Origin
41 Time for Fun Rhymes with forty-one.
42 Winnie the Pooh Rhymes with forty-two.
43 Down on Your Knees Rhymes with forty-three.
44 Droopy Drawers Rhyming slang for forty-four. Also “all the fours.”
45 Halfway There Halfway through the 90 numbers.
46 Up to Tricks Rhymes with forty-six.
47 Four and Seven Straightforward description.
48 Four Dozen Forty-eight equals four dozen.
49 PC / Copper From the TV show “The Bill.” Also a reference to the 49ers.
50 Half a Century / Bulls Eye Fifty is half of 100, and a bullseye in darts.

Numbers 51–60

Number Call Origin
51 Tweak of the Thumb Rhymes with fifty-one.
52 Danny La Rue Rhymes with fifty-two. Named after the famous entertainer.
53 Stuck in the Tree Rhymes with fifty-three.
54 Clean the Floor Rhymes with fifty-four.
55 All the Fives Double five.
56 Was She Worth It? A reference to an old marriage license cost of five shillings and sixpence (5/6).
57 Heinz Varieties Heinz famously marketed 57 varieties of products.
58 Make Them Wait Rhymes with fifty-eight.
59 Brighton Line A reference to the number 59 bus or train to Brighton.
60 Five Dozen Sixty equals five dozen.

Numbers 61–70

Number Call Origin
61 Baker’s Bun Rhymes with sixty-one.
62 Turn the Screw Rhymes with sixty-two.
63 Tickle Me Rhymes with sixty-three.
64 Red Raw Rhymes with sixty-four.
65 Old Age Pension Sixty-five was the traditional UK retirement age.
66 Clickety Click Rhymes and sound effect for sixty-six.
67 Stairway to Heaven Rhymes with sixty-seven.
68 Saving Grace Rhymes with sixty-eight.
69 Either Way Up The number looks the same upside down. Also “meal for two.”
70 Three Score and Ten A biblical lifespan reference.

Numbers 71–80

Number Call Origin
71 Bang on the Drum Rhymes with seventy-one.
72 Six Dozen Seventy-two equals six dozen.
73 Queen Bee Rhymes with seventy-three.
74 Hit the Floor Rhymes with seventy-four.
75 Strive and Strive Rhymes with seventy-five.
76 Trombones From “Seventy-Six Trombones” in the musical The Music Man.
77 Sunset Strip From the TV show “77 Sunset Strip.” Also “all the sevens.”
78 Heaven’s Gate Rhymes with seventy-eight.
79 One More Time Rhymes with seventy-nine.
80 Eight and Blank / Gandhi’s Breakfast Humorous reference: ate nothing (8-0).

Numbers 81–90

Number Call Origin
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 Eighty-four equals seven dozen.
85 Staying Alive Rhymes with eighty-five.
86 Between the Sticks Rhyming slang for eighty-six.
87 Torquay in Devon Rhymes with eighty-seven.
88 Two Fat Ladies The two 8s look like two large figures side by side. One of the most beloved calls.
89 Nearly There The second-to-last number.
90 Top of the Shop The highest number in 90-ball bingo.

The Call-and-Response Tradition

Bingo calls are not a monologue — they are a dialogue. When the caller announces “two little ducks,” the hall responds “quack quack.” When “legs eleven” rings out, a collective whistle or cheer often follows. This call-and-response dynamic is central to the social experience of bingo and one of the reasons the game feels so different from other forms of gambling.

Modern Updates

Some traditional calls have been updated or replaced over the years to reflect changing sensitivities and cultural references. Halls occasionally introduce topical or humorous alternatives, especially for numbers without strong traditional nicknames. The core rhyming calls, however, have remained remarkably stable — proof that a good rhyme is hard to retire.

Why Calls Matter

Beyond entertainment, bingo calls provide auditory redundancy. In a crowded hall, hearing “two fat ladies” confirms “88” more clearly than the number alone. The nickname acts as a second signal, reducing the chance of mishearing a call. This practical function is the reason calls have endured even as technology has made them less necessary.

Whether you are sitting in a packed hall or playing in an online room, the calls connect you to a tradition that stretches back generations. They are the soundtrack of bingo.