Calling Terms

Bingo callers in the UK traditionally use nicknames to refer to the numbers drawn. These calling terms sometimes rhyme and many date back decades.

1

Kelly’s eye (after one-eyed Australian gangster Ned Kelly), Little Jimmy, First on the board

2

Little duck, Me and you, Home alone, Peek a boo

3

One little flea, Cup of tea, Monkey on the tree

4

The one next door, On the floor, Shut the door

5

One little snake, Man alive

6

Chopsticks, Tom’s tricks, In a fix

7

Hockey stick, Crutch, Lucky seven, God’s in heaven, David Beckham

8

One fat lady, At the gate

9

Doctor’s orders

10

Downing street, Big fat hen, Cock and hen, Uncle Ben

11

Legs, Chicken legs, Skinny legs

12

One dozen, One doz’ if one can

13

Unlucky for some, Bakers’ dozen

14

Valentines day

15

Rugby team

16

Sweet sixteen, Never been kissed

17

Dancing queen (from the Abba song of the same name), Posh and Becks

18

Key of the door, Coming of age

19

Goodbye teens

20

Blind 20, One score

21

Royal salute, Key of the door

22

Two little ducks

23

A duck and a flea, The Lord’s my shepherd (from Psalm 23)

24

Two dozen

25

Duck and dive

26

Bed and breakfast (traditional price was 2 shillings 6 pence), Half a crown (equivalent to 2 shillings 6 pence)

27

Gateway to heaven, Little duck with a crutch

28

Duck and its mate

29

Rise and shine

30

Dirty Gertie, Speed limit

31

Get up and run

32

Buckle my Shoe

33

Two little fleas, Sherwood forest (all the trees)

34

Ask for more

35

Jump and jive, Flirty wives

36

Three dozen

37

A flea in heaven

38

Christmas cake

39

All the steps (from the 1935 Hitchcock film), Jack Benny

40

Two score, Life begins at, Naughty 40

41

Life’s begun, Time for fun

42

Whinny the Poo

43

Down on your knees

44

All the fours

45

Halfway house, Halfway there

46

Up to tricks

47

Four and seven

48

Four dozen

49

PC (for police constable), Copper

50

Bulls eye, Half a century, Hawaii five O

51

I love my mum

52

Weeks in a year, Pack ‘o cards

53

Stuck in the tree, The joker

54

Clean the floor

55

Snakes alive, All the fives

56

Was she worth it? (From the original price of a wedding contract)

57

Heinz varieties, All the beans

58

Make them wait, Choo choo Thomas

59

Brighton line (the London-Brighton engine was number 59)

60

Three score, Five dozen

61

Bakers bun

62

Tickety boo, Turn on the screw

63

Tickle me

64

The Beatles number, Red raw

65

Old age pension

66

Clickety click, All the sixes

67

Made in heaven

68

Saving grace

69

Either way up, The French connection

70

Three score and ten

71

Bang on the drum, Lucky one

72

A crutch and a duck, Par for the course (from golf)

73

Crutch with a flea, Lucky three

74

Candy store, Grandmamma of Bingo, Lucky four

75

Granddaddy of Bingo, Lucky five

76

Trombones, Lucky six

77

All the sevens, Two little crutches, The double hockey stick, Lucky seven

78

Heavens gate, Lucky eight

79

Lucky nine

80

Gandhi’s breakfast, Eight and blank

81

Fat lady and a little wee, Stop and run

82

Fat lady with a duck, Straight on through

83

Fat lady with a flea, Time for tea, Ethel’s Ear

84

Seven dozen

85

Staying alive

86

Between the sticks

87

Fat lady with a crutch

88

Two fat ladies, Wobbly wobbly, All the eights

89

Nearly there, All but one

90

Top of the shop, Top of the house, End of the line