When we think of games, many instantly think of casino classics like Roulette, Blackjack and Poker, or they think about board games such as Monopoly or Guess Who?.
But for some, their first thoughts turn to the iconic game that is Bingo!
With Bingo being thought to have begun around 1530, it’s fair to say the game has been within the gaming world for quite a while now. Even though this may be the case, many players still don’t fully know the Bingo calls that are called out to help players identify the numbers on their cards and daub off.
So, with this in mind, we wanted to show you just a few of the Bingo calls you can expect to hear if and when you play.
Within the UK, it’s most common for a game of Bingo to consist of 90 balls, whereas in America they play with 75 balls. To help us reach 90, we’re going to show you the zeros and fives of the Bingo numbers, just to get you on your way to knowing the calls in the UK.
How to play Bingo
Before we explore some of the calls you may hear when playing Bingo, let’s first find out how to play with a quick guide to playing Bingo.
First of all, you’ll need a Bingo card and something to mark your numbers off with, such as a pen or a dauber. If playing online, the game will have a dauber for your card.
Next, the game will begin and you’ll hear numbers and their calls being announced. It’s during this time that you’ll need to daub off any numbers on your card that match those being called out. If playing online, you can set it to automatically daubs the numbers off for you.
When playing in a Bingo hall there are two ways you can win – creating a line horizontally across your Bingo card, or daubing off an entire numbered section of your card, also known as a full house.
If at any point you create a line or full house, you’ll need to either shout “line” or “house!”. Someone from the Bingo hall will check your card and confirm whether or not you’ve won. If playing online, you’ll need to press a button to announce your claim.
Bingo calls of the 0’s and 5’s
5. “Man alive, it’s number 5”
10. “[current Prime Minter’s name]’s den, it’s number 10”
15. “Young and keen, it’s number 15”
20. “One score, it’s number 20”
25. “Duck and dive, it’s number 25”
30. “Dirty Gertie, it’s number 30”
35. “Jump and jive, it’s number 35”
40. “Life begins, it’s number 40” or “Naughty forty, it’s number 40”
45. “Halfway there, it’s number 45”
50. “Half a century, it’s number 50” or “It’s a bullseye, it’s number 50”
55. “Snakes alive, it’s number 55” or “All the fives, it’s number 55”
60. “Five dozen, it’s number 60” or “Grandma’s getting frisky, it’s number 60”
65. “Old age pension, it’s number 65”
70. “Three score and ten, it’s number 70”
75. “Strive and Strive, it’s number 75”
80. “Eight and bank, it’s number 80”
85. “Staying alive, it’s number 85”90. “Top of the shop, it’s number 90”
