Online tambola for family, kitty and office parties
Start a game of online tambola in under a minute. Press Create game, send one link to the family WhatsApp group, and each guest opens their own e-ticket on their phone. Numbers are called automatically, spoken in English or Hindi when voice calls are on, and each ticket ticks off its own numbers, so grandparents, cousins abroad and the office team can all play the same round.
Prefer paper? The same game prints as real tambola tickets, and the host can download the exact tickets of a live game, so some guests can play on phones and others on paper without any mix-ups.
In short: online tambola (also called housie) is the 90-number game played with 3 by 9 tickets. Here the host shares one link, guests play on their own phones with no app or sign-up, calls are automatic and in sync on every screen, and printed tickets can join the same game.
How to play tambola online with friends
- Set up. Choose how many tickets to give out (up to 600), the gap between calls from 6 to 20 seconds and a start time.
- Share. Send the guest link to the group, or give each person a link to their own ticket.
- Join. Guests type their ticket number and their e-ticket appears, ready to mark itself.
- Play. Numbers are called on every phone at the same moment, with optional voice calls.
- Check. When someone shouts, enter that ticket number under Check a claim: it lists every prize the ticket has completed and the call that completed it.
There is no server in the middle of the game: the call order and timing come from the game code in the link, so a weak signal does not make anyone miss a number. Just keep the host screen open until the last prize is won.
Prizes to play for
| Prize | How to win it |
|---|---|
| Early Five | The first player to mark any five numbers |
| Top Line | All five numbers in the top row |
| Middle Line | All five numbers in the middle row |
| Bottom Line | All five numbers in the bottom row |
| Four Corners | All four corner numbers, left and right, top and bottom |
| Full House | All 15 numbers on the ticket |
Themed games rename the prizes to suit the party, and you can add your own extras, such as a Pyramid or a Lucky 7, when you print.
Popular party games
Tambola tickets to print
Printed tambola tickets follow the real rules. Each ticket has 3 rows and 9 columns with 15 numbers, 5 in every row, and a strip of six tickets contains each of the 90 numbers once, so no number is wasted. A page can hold three, six, eight or twelve tickets, in colour or black ink, and every pack includes a caller sheet to cross off numbers and a prize list. Themes cover festivals, weddings, kitty parties and Bollywood, so the tickets look right for the occasion.
Tambola vs housie vs bingo: one game, many names
The same idea goes by different names around the world. If your guests are from different countries, this helps everyone follow along.
| Game | Where it is played | Numbers and card |
|---|---|---|
| Tambola or housie | India and South Asia | 1 to 90, ticket of 3 rows by 9 columns with 15 numbers |
| 90-ball bingo | UK, Ireland, Australia | The same 90-number ticket, called with traditional rhymes |
| 75-ball bingo | USA and Canada | 1 to 75 on a 5 by 5 card under B-I-N-G-O, with a free centre square |
| Lotería | Mexico | Picture cards called out instead of numbers, marked on a 4 by 4 board |
Party games for every occasion
More than 50 party games, sorted by occasion. Tambola themes play online or print; bingo cards print with a calling list; card games work on a phone, a TV or paper.
Tambola themes
Festival tambola
Weddings and birthdays
Bollywood nights
Kitty bingo and icebreakers
Card and word games
Quizzes and bingo worldwide
Beyond tambola: card games and icebreakers
Not every guest wants to sit with a ticket. Charades, Pictionary, Would you rather and This or that get people up, laughing and talking. Each deck can be cut out as cards or played from a phone or TV with a timer and team scores: 120 Pictionary words from kite to gravity, 96 this-or-that picks such as samosa or pakora, 40 one-minute games for kitty parties using bangles, bindis and cups, and clean truth-or-dare cards for sleepovers. Every deck is family-friendly.
Hosting tips for a smooth game
- Test the link first. Open a guest ticket on a second phone before the party so you know what guests will see.
- Pick a relaxed speed. 15 or 20 seconds between calls suits chatty groups and older players; 6 to 8 seconds suits fast office rounds.
- Decide prizes in advance. Announce the prize amounts or gifts for each line so claims are quick and friendly.
- Mix phones and paper. Download the game’s tickets as a PDF for guests without a smartphone.
- Keep a second game ready. A fresh link takes seconds, so losers get a rematch straight away.
More help for hosts: How to play tambola, Kitty party games, Bollywood party games, Diwali party games, Birthday party games for kids, Halloween games for adults.
Frequently asked questions
8 quick answers
Is online tambola free?
Yes. Hosting and playing online tambola here is completely free, with no app to install and no sign-up for the host or the guests.
How many people can play?
Up to 600 tickets per game. Guests can play on phones, on paper or a mix of both, because the host can print the exact tickets of the live game.
Can guests in different cities play together?
Yes. That is the point of online tambola: everyone opens the same link, and the calls appear on every phone at the same moment, so it works across cities and countries, or alongside a video call.
Can the numbers be called in Hindi?
Yes. The host can switch voice calls between English and Hindi, or turn the voice off and read the numbers aloud themselves.
Can I pause the game?
No. The automatic calls follow the same clock on every phone, so they cannot be paused. Pick 15 or 20 seconds between calls if the group enjoys talking between numbers.
What if a guest’s internet drops?
In online tambola the calls come from the game code, not a live connection, so when the page reloads the ticket catches up with every number called so far.
Where can I get housie online tickets to print?
Use the tambola ticket generator for printable housie tickets, or press Download these tickets on the host screen to print the tickets of a housie online game in progress.
Which party games suit a kitty party?
Kitty party tambola, handbag bingo, chai and chatter icebreaker bingo and the one-minute games are the favourites, and a themed tambola for the month’s festival always goes down well.