Lining Up the Numbers 

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Written By Sheree Hoddinett

If anyone is more than familiar with the catch cry ‘Bingo!’ it’s none other than Mr Bingo himself, Tim Morris. 

If you have ever stopped by the auditorium at Norths Leagues and Services Club in Kallangur, especially on bingo day, chances are you have crossed paths with Mr Bingo himself. Tim is very much ingrained in the world of bingo, having started down the path at the age of 14, some 23 years ago. 

“I think it’s one of those things where I sort of fell into the job,” Tim said. “I used to work at another venue where my nan and pop were based and it was a really big place, which has actually closed now. But I started there as a kid in the canteen serving sandwiches, coffee, that sort of thing. 

“It sort of just progressed over time and they discovered I had a good voice and let me have a go on the microphone and before you know it I was calling bingo games and it went from there. By the time I was 18, I was one of the youngest bingo callers in the country.” 

The Growth of Bingo and Tim’s Personal Story

Tim has now been running bingo at Norths for almost 11 years, building it up to be one of the biggest bingo venues in Queensland. And no, it’s not just a game for those of the older generation. 

“In the time I’ve been here, it’s grown from three sessions a week when I first started to now being on every day with a total of nine sessions throughout the week,” Tim said. “I think when people think of bingo, they think it’s little old ladies with purple hair. And look, while there’s quite a lot of them, we actually have people of all ages coming in, it’s a big social thing and kids love it too!” 

For Tim, the big drawcard of bingo is the challenge of the game, organising promos and the opportunity to give back to the community. Bingo aside, Tim is also very much a family man with a supportive wife and two kids backing him all the way. It seems without bingo, Tim may not have met his wife. 

“She actually delivered a pizza to me one night and I’d some drinks and whatnot and I ended up giving her my number,” Tim said, smiling. “Eventually she asked me if I was the guy from bingo. Being young I never really told girls I was a bingo caller, I’d tell them I was a landscaper, builder, anything, I’d make up a complete lie. She told me she had been to bingo checking me out for ages and never had the courage to speak to me. We’ve been together for 15 years now and married for 12.”  

If you haven’t ventured into the world of bingo before, Tim has some sound advice. 

“Come along, give it a try, it really is a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s very easy and it’s cost-effective. With our iPads, all you have to do is literally touch the screen. If you can use a phone, you can play bingo.” 

For session information, visit www.northsleagues.com.au/whats-on/bingo/ 

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