Bingo is a fun game. It can get you off the edge of your seats, especially when you are on the verge of winning. Shouting out “House” can make you beam with pride. However, it is actually the name calling that adds more entertainment into every game.What Name Calling Is
No, we are not talking about foul or vulgar words here. It has already become a custom among bingo hosts or callers to add nicknames to numbers for two reasons. One it allows them to clarify what the number is, particularly to those persons who are seated at the back or could not properly see numbers that are being drawn. Second, it allows them to inject humor to what they are doing.
This is also the reason why numbers can have as many nicknames as the caller wants. This is because he or she has full control on how he or she wants to present the digits to the players. Nevertheless, some of the nicknames used have been around for years, and thus, most players are already familiar with them.
How One Comes Up with a Nickname
So far, there are two known strategies used by callers to come up with nicknames for some bingo numbers. They can utilize rhyme or reason. For example, “I’m free” for 3 falls under rhyme because “free” rhymes with “three.” On the other hand, 20 can be referred to as “a score” since there are 20 years in a score.
How to Mention Nicknames
There are certain guidelines that are being followed by callers when it comes to mentioning nicknames of numbers. The first rule is to mention the number first before the nickname. This is to prevent confusion later on. For instance, if the last number called was 12, and before the caller would begin say “Knock on the door,” which means 4, someone already shouted, “House,” no one is really sure if the player is referring to 12 or 4.
You also need to be very clear on how you speak of the number and the nickname. This is especially true if you are speaking in a very large venue. You must avoid talking very fast, stuttering, or eating your words.
There are also generic terms for every number division, and they would tell you what pattern to use when calling out nicknames. For instance, those that are single numbers are referred to as “on its own.” When calling them out, you would say, “On its own, number x, nickname.” For those that are multiples of ten, they are known as blinds. Repeated numbers are called twins.
Some Popular Bingo Nicknames
1-Bingo Baby
2-Doctor Who
3-I’m free
4-Knock on my door
7-Lucky Seven
13-Devil’s number
14-Valentine’s Day
22-Two little ducks
24-Two dozen
26-Bed and breakfast
28-Overweight
30-Speed limit
33-Dirty Knees, All threes
36-Three dozen
40-Life begins at
50-Hawaii Five O, half a century
55-Double nickels
