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Bingo calls and nicknames: the full list from 1 to 75
Every number from 1 to 75 has a traditional nickname, and the complete list is below. Most of them come from British 90-ball bingo, so a few references need explaining for American players. Use them as a bit of fun on top of the plain call, never in place of it.
Where these calls come from
The calls grew up in Britain, around the game once known as housey-housey and later 90-ball bingo. British servicemen played it widely during World War II, and many nicknames are credited to military slang, simple rhymes, and Cockney rhyming slang, with some said to date to the early 1900s. Others come from songs, books, and TV.
Treat the origin stories as folklore. Many are disputed, and “Kelly's eye” alone has several competing explanations. The list also keeps changing. Butlins, the UK holiday camp chain, introduced a batch of newer calls in 2003, including “chicken vindaloo” for 52. The table below is based on the commonly published UK list, summarized in Wikipedia's list of British bingo nicknames.
Two things change when you borrow these calls for a 75-ball game. We've added the B-I-N-G-O letter to each number, since 90-ball tickets don't use column letters. And the calls for 76 to 90 never come up, which rules out some famous ones, including “two fat ladies” (88) and “top of the shop” (90).
The full list: every call from 1 to 75
Where a number has more than one well-known call, the one we'd reach for first comes first. “Rhyme” means the nickname simply rhymes with the number as spoken.
| Call | Nickname | Why |
|---|---|---|
| B-1 | Kelly's eye | Origin disputed; possibly military slang |
| B-2 | One little duck | The 2 looks like a duck |
| B-3 | Cup of tea | Rhyme |
| B-4 | Knock at the door | Rhyme |
| B-5 | Man alive | Rhyme |
| B-6 | Half a dozen | Half of twelve |
| B-7 | Lucky seven | A traditional lucky number |
| B-8 | Garden gate | Rhyme |
| B-9 | Doctor's orders | Said to be a World War I army pill, number 9 |
| B-10 | The prime minister's den | 10 Downing Street; UK callers use the current name |
| B-11 | Legs eleven | The two 1s look like legs |
| B-12 | One dozen | Twelve |
| B-13 | Unlucky for some | The classic unlucky number |
| B-14 | Valentine's Day | February 14 |
| B-15 | Young and keen | Rhyme |
| I-16 | Sweet sixteen; never been kissed | The birthday, and an old song |
| I-17 | Dancing queen | The ABBA song mentions seventeen |
| I-18 | Coming of age | Legal adulthood |
| I-19 | Goodbye, teens | The last teenage year |
| I-20 | One score; getting plenty | A score is 20; rhyme |
| I-21 | Key of the door; royal salute | Old age of adulthood; the 21-gun salute |
| I-22 | Two little ducks | The 2s look like ducks; players reply “quack, quack” |
| I-23 | The Lord is my shepherd | The opening of Psalm 23 |
| I-24 | Two dozen | 2 × 12 |
| I-25 | Duck and dive | Rhyme; the 2 is the duck |
| I-26 | Half a crown; pick and mix | Old British coin, written 2/6; rhyme |
| I-27 | Gateway to heaven; duck and a crutch | Rhyme; the shapes of the 2 and 7 |
| I-28 | In a state | Rhyming slang: “two and eight” means “state” |
| I-29 | Rise and shine | Rhyme |
| I-30 | Dirty Gertie | Rhyme; linked to a wartime soldiers' song |
| N-31 | Get up and run | Rhyme |
| N-32 | Buckle my shoe | From the nursery rhyme |
| N-33 | All the threes; dirty knee | Two matching digits; rhyme |
| N-34 | Ask for more | Rhyme |
| N-35 | Jump and jive | Rhyme; a dance step |
| N-36 | Three dozen | 3 × 12 |
| N-37 | More than eleven | Rhyme |
| N-38 | Christmas cake | Rhyme, from Cockney slang |
| N-39 | All the steps | The Thirty-Nine Steps, a 1915 novel |
| N-40 | Life begins | “Life begins at forty” |
| N-41 | Time for fun | Rhyme |
| N-42 | Winnie the Pooh | Rhyme |
| N-43 | Down on your knees | Rhyme; said to be a wartime phrase |
| N-44 | All the fours; droopy drawers | Two matching digits; rhyme |
| N-45 | Halfway there | Halfway to 90 in the 90-ball game |
| G-46 | Up to tricks | Rhyme |
| G-47 | Four and seven | Just the two digits |
| G-48 | Four dozen | 4 × 12 |
| G-49 | PC | BBC radio's The Adventures of PC 49; reply “evening, all” |
| G-50 | Half a century; bullseye | Half of 100; the darts score |
| G-51 | Tweak of the thumb | Rhyme |
| G-52 | Weeks in a year; deck of cards; Danny La Rue | Both count 52; rhyme with a British entertainer's name |
| G-53 | Here comes Herbie; stuck in the tree | The Love Bug's racing number, reply “beep beep”; rhyme |
| G-54 | Clean the floor; man at the door | Rhyme |
| G-55 | All the fives; snakes alive | Two matching digits; rhyme |
| G-56 | Was she worth it? | Old British marriage license fee, 5/6; reply “every penny” |
| G-57 | Heinz varieties | The “57 Varieties” slogan |
| G-58 | Make them wait | Rhyme; the caller may pause |
| G-59 | Brighton line | Origin unclear |
| G-60 | Five dozen | 5 × 12 |
| O-61 | Baker's bun | Rhyme |
| O-62 | Tickety-boo; turn the screw | Rhyme; tickety-boo is British for “just fine” |
| O-63 | Tickle me | Rhyme |
| O-64 | Almost retired; red raw | One year short of 65; rhyme |
| O-65 | Old age pension | The former UK retirement age for men |
| O-66 | Clickety click | Rhyme |
| O-67 | Made in heaven; stairway to heaven | Rhyme |
| O-68 | Pick a mate; saving grace | Rhyme |
| O-69 | Either way up | Reads the same upside down |
| O-70 | Three score and ten | 3 × 20 + 10; the biblical lifespan |
| O-71 | Bang on the drum | Rhyme |
| O-72 | Six dozen | 6 × 12 |
| O-73 | Queen bee; under the tree | Rhyme |
| O-74 | Hit the floor; candy store | Rhyme |
| O-75 | Strive and strive | Rhyme |
How to use nicknames on game night
Your calling routine stays the same; our guide on how to call bingo numbers covers format and pace. The nickname is an extra, and these habits keep it from getting in the way:
- Number first, nickname second. “I-22… two little ducks.” Players are listening for the letter and number. If the nickname comes first, they miss it.
- Pick about ten favorites. Nobody needs all 75 in one night, and hearing a nickname on every ball gets old fast. Print the table and circle the ones you like.
- Teach the replies. Tell the room before the first game that 22 gets a “quack, quack” and 53 gets a “beep beep.” A shouted reply is the part players remember.
- Go quiet when it's tense. When several people are one number away, skip the jokes and just call the ball.
- Read the room. With first-timers, or players who need every second to find a number, the plain call is kinder. See bingo for seniors for adapting your game to a slower pace.
Calls to skip or swap
Some traditional calls have aged badly, and a few were never meant for a family crowd. We left the worst out of the table above, but you'll hear them, so it helps to know what they are:
- Body jokes: “one fat lady” (8) and “overweight” (28). Use “garden gate” and “in a state” instead.
- Suggestive calls: “Grandma's getting frisky” (60), “meal for two” (69), and “J. Lo's bum” (71). Use “five dozen,” “either way up,” and “bang on the drum.”
- Wolf whistles on 11. Whistling is the traditional reply to “legs eleven,” but it's easy to leave out. Clapping works too.
- Mild ones to weigh up: “dirty Gertie” (30), “droopy drawers” (44), and “was she worth it?” (56) are harmless to most adults. For a school or church event, call those numbers plain.
A good test: if you'd wince hearing it repeated at a family dinner, leave it out.
Make up your own calls
The British calls drew on British life, and yours can draw on your own. These aren't traditional, just ideas that make sense to an American room:
- B-4: Fourth of July
- B-13: The original colonies
- I-18: A full round of golf
- N-36: Inches in a yard
- G-50: States in the union
- G-60: Minutes in an hour
- O-66: Route 66
Local ones land best. Your VFW post number, your church's founding decade, or the jersey number of a hometown player will get a bigger reaction than anything on a list. Ask your regulars for suggestions, and keep a running sheet at the caller's table.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use nicknames when I call bingo?
No. The letter and number are the call, and a nickname is only a bit of fun on top. Skip them if the room is new to bingo or the players need every second to keep up.
Where do bingo nicknames come from?
Mostly from British housey-housey and 90-ball bingo. Many are simple rhymes, and others come from military slang, Cockney rhyming slang, songs, and TV. The stories behind individual calls are often disputed.
Where is two fat ladies on this list?
It isn't here. Two fat ladies is the UK call for 88, and 75-ball bingo stops at 75, so that number never comes up on a US-style card.
Are bingo nicknames the same everywhere?
No. Calls vary from hall to hall and region to region, and new ones appear over time. Treat this list as a starting point and keep the ones your players enjoy.
More guides: How to call bingo numbers · Bingo rules for beginners · How to run a bingo night