Bingo has a fantastic lexicon with descriptive names being assigned to different numbers. Bingo lingo itself goes back many years to the popularisation of bingo in the British Isles in the 1960’s and holiday camp Butlins, in conjunction with a Professor of Popular Culture, devised new calls in 2003 to freshen up the game. Every bingo player has their favourite numbers and their favourite bingo lingo calls. Here are some bingo calls from Butlers Bingo games site. Ours are as follows:
Two Little Ducks
Two little ducks is the bingo lingo call for the number 22. The reason for this is that the numbers have more than a passing similarity to a pair of ducks. When called the standard response from the bingo players is “Quack, Quack, Quack”
Legs Eleven
Similar to the number 22, the bingo lingo call for 11 is based on the fact that it looks like a pair of legs. The pair of legs used is specifically a pair of chicken legs. Players can also join in the fun when legs eleven is called by wolf-whistling in response.
Unlucky for Some
The number 13 is famous for being an unlucky number and, as such, this is now the number 13 received its bingo lingo name of unlucky for some.
Stop Farting!
Number 83 gets its bingo lingo name from how it looks, with the eight meant to be the bottom and three the fart coming from it. When this is called the player reply should be “Who? Me?”. Very much one of big childish favourites in the bingo lingo lexicon.
Was She Worth It?
This one is an olden one for the number 76 as before 1971 and decimalisation the price of a marriage licence in Britain was 7/6d. The players are meant to call back “Every Penny!” once this name for 76 has been called. Another name for 76 is Trombones after the song 76 Trombones from the musical The Music Man.
Stop Work!
Stop work is the bingo lingo call for the number 65, which is a reference to the age of retirement in the UK. People often work past this age in these current times, but this call is still used by bingo callers.
Here comes Herbie!
Bingo lingo for number 53, here comes Herbie references the Volkswagen Beetle from the Herbie: The Love Bug movies. The car in that film had the racing number of 53 and when called players should respond with the call “Beep, Beep!”
Knock at the Door
The call for number 24 is Knock at the Door and the name for this piece of bingo lingo comes simply from rhyming slang.
Goodbye Teens
Bingo lingo for the number 19 comes from the age that people stop being a teenager and become an adult.
David’s Den
The bingo lingo call for number ten comes from whoever is in power as the Prime Minister of England and currently resides at number ten Downing Street. As the current Prime Minister is David Cameron, the call is David’s Den and this will change when the next Prime Minister is elected.
What are your favourite bingo lingo calls? Jump online now and play online bingo and use your favourite bingo lingo calls with your friends and family. If you don’t fancy bingo what about some backgammon?