Bingo lingo… it sounds strange and isn’t perhaps a phrase that many people will have heard, but it’s quite simple really. All it means is that there are specific words and phrases that are used in bingo – the lingo, as it were – that it can be useful to know in advance. It might not change the way you play the game or give you any more chance of winning, but it will help you make the most out of your bingo playing, and give you an added element of enjoyment, so it’s useful to understand.
Most of the time bingo lingo is going to be about the calls that are made when the balls are landed or pulled out of the bag, or however else you happen to be playing. It’s not just that these calls are tradition and therefore have to be shouted out (or laid out in text if you’re playing online); they can actually help players differentiate between similar sounding numbers so they don’t make any mistakes when it comes to their playing. They’ll know exactly which number has been pulled and can play more easily because of it.
Woke or PC Lingo
In some games, woke bingo lingo (perhaps more easily understood as PC bingo lingo) is used instead of the more traditional calls. Although this idea started as a bit of fun, it has taken off in some circles, and some people prefer these new calls over the old ones which might come across as a little unkind.
Some of those new calls include:
7 = Flexitarian
9 = Get an Uber from mine
14 = Netflix and chill
25 = Quarter life crisis
35 = It’s a vibe
38 = Avocado on a plate
39 = Love Island time
48 = Not another Brexit debate
49 = Amazon Prime
54 = Lads on tour
68 = Tinder date
74 = Recycle more
78 = Haters gon’ hate
86 = Instagram pics
88 = Wills and Kate
Essential Bingo Terminology
Whatever you think of woke bingo, there are some other bits of lingo that can be useful and will be used in any variation of bingo you choose to play, PC or not. They include:
- 0 Balls
If you have a game that includes 0 balls, you are playing 90 ball bingo. If you’re in the UK, this is going to be more likely than not, as this is the most popular game in this country.
- Bingo Cards
You can’t play bingo without a bingo card, and although you might be able to sit in on the game without one, you aren’t going to be a winner. When you enter a game you buy one or more bingo cards, and as the numbers are pulled out, you cross the equivalent number from your card (virtually if you’re playing online).
- Bingo Pot
As might be expected, the bingo pot is the total prize fund available to players.
- Drawn Balls
When the caller says drawn balls the game is going to start so you need to concentrate on what is happening.
