Crazy Bingo Banter: What You Need to Know
For the bingo newbie, your first time inside a bingo hall or online bingo playing site may leave you reeling with all the bingo slang being thrown around. You cannot blame the true bingo lovers though. Just like any subculture bingo communities may have their own words, and callers may call out numbers differently, since most of them have developed a habit of creating alternative nicknames for the numbers they call out.
Here's a guide to some of the most commonly used bingo slang that every newbie to the game needs to master before sitting down to any serious game.
Kelly's eye- this refers to number 1 and also goes by 'on its own', meaning that its a single digit
twin numbers- two-digit numbers
Man alive- refers to number 5, and is called Jack's alive by some
Lucky for some-refers to number 7, since most people believe that this one is pretty lucky
The Garden Gate- also referred to as 'one fat lady' or 'sexy kate', this refers to number 8! (that one rhymed!)
Doctor's orders- number 9
Downing Street- this one's pretty easy to remember; it also goes by 'PM's (prime minister's den') , as well as the number 10
Chicken legs- now, what numbers exactly do chicken legs resemble? No contest, its 11. They look like the number instead of sounding like it.
One dozen- this refers to number 12, and also goes by as 'monkey's cousin' since they rhyme (bingo callers apparently like things that rhyme)
Devil's Number- also known as 'Lucky for some', this, of course, refers to 13
Valentine's day- even kids will get this one...yup, its 14, from February . 14
Sweet Sixteen- no need to explain that one! This number also goes by 'never been kissed.'
Now you can vote- that's 18; some callers may refer to it as 'key to the door'
Two dozen- multiply a dozen twice and what do you get? Yup.
Your doing fine- rhymes with 29!
Here's another rhyme for you. Gertie bertie, rhymes with 30!
A test on common sense. 37 is definitely 'more than eleven', but they rhyme, so you can expect to hear the phrase being substituted for the number.
Life's begun- Now, they all say that life begins at 40. But I guess 41 rhymes better.
All the fours- 44, get it? 44!
Christmas cake- this goes with 38, although I don't know why since they don't rhyme that well. You never know what goes on inside those callers' heads sometimes.
Up to tricks- this refers to 46 (of course!)
Blind 50 or 70- this refers to 70 or 50,; blind means they have zeros with them or for the math savvy, multiples of 10
There are a lot more terms that you need to get used to before you can feel comfortable relating to bingo slang. But if you are serious about the game, better start familiarizing now!