While a lot of players play bingo to win cash prizes, the main point of the game is to have fun. The social element of the game allows players to interact and have a laugh with others. Having fun is the most important thing so for something a little different, we thought we would look at some of the funny bingo calls that players encounter when they play at their local bingo halls or favourite bingo sites.
Anyone who has ever played a game online or in a traditional bingo hall in the UK will have heard the announcer follow up the numbers with fun nicknames.
These rhymes are known as bingo calls and they have evolved over time with regards to the game of online bingo. Some are more popular than others and some are funnier than others too, so here are our top 5 funniest bingo calls!
- Turn the Screw – A very British bingo call which can also be “tickety boo” which in English slang means “good” or “in order”. A lot of popular bingo calls are based on rhymes and this is particularly evident in the UK with lots of bingo calls based on popular sayings and expressions. In terms of bingo, “Turn the Screw” is a funny British bingo call for the number 62.
- Legs – Some bingo calls are based on the shape of the number itself with more than 50 well-known calls based on the shapes of the numbers themselves. Legs is a simple and amusing way to remember the number 11. The two ones look like a pair of legs and historically, some of the more boisterous patrons in the bingo hall would wolf whistle at this number. A bit silly and immature but you can see why people find the legs call to be funny.
- Gandhi’s Breakfast – Another one that will make you laugh just by speaking it out aloud. Gandhi’s Breakfast describes the number 80. This is because the two digits are said to resemble what it would look like if Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi sat cross-legged and ate from a plate straight in front of him. You can’t say that bingo players are not imaginative when it comes to creating funny bingo calls!
- Two Fat Ladies – Experienced bingo players may already be able to visualise the number that the Two Fat Ladies symbolise. This is another number based on how the digits appear next to each other and quite simply, the Two Fat Ladies represent the number 88. The two 8s are said to represent to curvy ladies sitting next to each other. This is one of the most popular and well-known bingo calls of all.
- Posh & Becks – Another pop culture reference to the famous power couple. A stick thin Posh Spice is represented by the number 1. David Beckham, on the other hand, was famous for wearing the number 7 jersey. When you combine the two you get the bingo call of 17. It makes sense now doesn’t it?
These are some of the common calls you’ll hear in a hall or see online. There are so many more however, just have a few games and you’ll be bound to encounter them.