This free tambola ticket generator makes up to 600 housie tickets in real strips of six, with a caller sheet, a prize list and a rules page. Choose a theme, type a title, set the number of tickets and press Download PDF, and you have tambola tickets ready to print for a kitty party, a family night or a school fair. You can also play the same game live on phones, with every guest holding an e-ticket.
Tambola ticket generator to print (PDF)
These four pages show what the tambola ticket generator prints: a page of six tickets, the 1 to 90 caller sheet, the prize list and the one-page rules. Click a picture for the PDF, or use the generator at the top of the page to change the theme, the title, the date, the paper size and the number of tickets per page.
What the tambola ticket generator prints
Everything below is made in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded. The generator has 19 themes, from classic and kitty queen to Diwali, Holi and Christmas.
| Page | What you get | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tickets | Real strips of six: each strip uses every number from 1 to 90 exactly once | Up to 600 tickets, blue with a star motif and gold trim, with your title, the party name and the date on every ticket |
| Caller sheet | A 1 to 90 grid to cross off as you call | Keep it to check every winning claim |
| Prize list | The six standard tambola prizes, from Early Five to Full House | Space to write each prize and the winning ticket number |
| Rules page | A one-page script to read out before the first number | Covers claims and what happens after a wrong one |
Tambola prizes and how to win them
The classic theme uses the six standard tambola prizes. Other themes rename them, and you can add your own in the extra prizes box. Here is what each prize means:
| Prize | How to win | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Early Five | First five numbers | The first player to mark any five numbers on a ticket |
| Top Line | Top row | All five numbers on the top row of the ticket |
| Middle Line | Middle row | All five numbers on the middle row |
| Bottom Line | Bottom row | All five numbers on the bottom row |
| Four Corners | The corners | The first and last number of the top row and of the bottom row |
| Full House | All fifteen numbers | Every number on the ticket marked, which ends the game |
Traditional number calls for a tambola game
Tambola has traditional calls that replace the number with a rhyme or a joke. The live game can read them aloud when you turn on Traditional calls. These are some of the first thirteen:
| Number | Call it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kelly’s eye | A traditional call for the lowest number |
| 2 | One little duck | The number 2 looks like a swimming duck |
| 3 | Cup of tea | Three rhymes with tea |
| 5 | Man alive | Five rhymes with alive |
| 7 | Lucky seven | Seven is thought to be a lucky number |
| 10 | A big fat hen | The 1 and 0 look like a hen and an egg |
| 12 | One dozen | Twelve things make a dozen |
| 13 | Unlucky for some | The superstition about thirteen |
How long does a tambola game last?
A game of tambola has a steady rhythm: the early prizes arrive in the first third of the game, and the Full House needs most of the numbers. The table shows when each prize is usually won and how many minutes the whole game takes at the default speed of 10 seconds a call.
| Tickets | Typical crowd | Early Five | First full line | Full House | Time at 10 s a call |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 tickets | a family around a table | call 16 (13 to 18) | call 47 (41 to 53) | call 78 (75 to 81) | 13 min |
| 12 tickets | a small kitty | call 14 (12 to 17) | call 43 (36 to 49) | call 76 (71 to 78) | 13 min |
| 30 tickets | a club or a classroom | call 12 (10 to 14) | call 36 (31 to 41) | call 72 (69 to 75) | 12 min |
| 60 tickets | a large party | call 11 (9 to 12) | call 31 (26 to 36) | call 69 (66 to 72) | 12 min |
| 120 tickets | a hall or a fair | call 10 (9 to 11) | call 28 (24 to 31) | call 66 (63 to 69) | 11 min |
The numbers come from real simulations of this generator: 300 games for each ticket count, with the typical call number and the middle half of results in brackets. More tickets mean the first prizes arrive sooner, but with 6 to 120 tickets the Full House still comes around call 66 to 78, because someone must complete all fifteen numbers. For a party with several rounds, print one set of tickets for each round, or use the New tickets button to make a different set for the next game.
How the tambola ticket generator builds a ticket
A tambola ticket has 3 rows and 9 columns, with 5 numbers in each row and 4 blanks, so every ticket holds 15 numbers. The first column holds numbers from 1 to 9, the second from 10 to 19, and so on up to the ninth column, which holds 80 to 90. Every column has at least one number and at most three, and the numbers in a column are sorted from top to bottom.
The numbers are checked against these rules, and there is a very large number of valid tickets: about 3.67 × 1018, or 3,669,688,706,217,187,500 in all. They fit into 1,554 ways of choosing how many numbers go in each column, and 735,210 ways of placing them in the grid. That is why two tickets in the same room almost never match.
Tambola tickets in strips of six
The generator makes tickets in strips of six, as in real housie books. Each strip uses every number from 1 to 90 exactly once, so the first column of a strip holds 9 numbers shared among six tickets, the last column holds 11, and every other column holds 10. This means that in a strip there is always a ticket that matches each called number, and nobody is left out.
Housie tickets and the housie ticket generator
Housie tickets are the same thing as tambola tickets, and the housie ticket generator is the same as this tool. The two names are used in different regions, and both refer to the 90-number game with 15 numbers on a ticket. In the UK the same tickets are used for 90-ball bingo, and for 75-ball cards you can use the bingo card generator.
Tambola tickets PDF: print settings
To get a tambola tickets PDF, choose the number of tickets and the number per page: 3 large tickets, 6, 8 or 12 compact ones. Six per page is the best balance for most parties, because the numbers stay large and a strip fits exactly on one page. Choose A4 or Letter paper, and color or black and white. The PDF includes the caller sheet, the prize list and the rules page unless you switch them off.
Printable tambola tickets: how many do you need?
Plan one ticket for each player, and give children and keen players two. The table above shows that more tickets bring the first prizes sooner, but the Full House still comes after about 70 numbers, whatever the crowd. For a big event, print one strip of six for each table and let each table work together.
How to check a winning claim
- Stop the caller as soon as a player shouts “Housie” or “Tambola”.
- Ask for the ticket number and read the numbers on the winning line aloud.
- Check each number on the caller sheet to make sure it was called.
- If every number is called, announce the winner and move on to the next prize. If not, the claim is a “bogey”, and play continues.
For the history of the game, from Naples to today, see Wikipedia’s tombola article.
How to use the tambola ticket generator in six steps
- Choose a theme: pick classic, or one of 18 other themes such as Diwali, Holi or Kitty Queen.
- Type the details: add a title of up to 40 characters, a party name and a date, which print on every ticket.
- Set the numbers: choose how many tickets to print (1 to 600) and how many per page.
- Add prizes: type up to six extra prizes, one per line, if you want more than the standard six.
- Download: press Download PDF or Print, in color or in black and white, on A4 or Letter paper.
- Play: read the rules page aloud, call the numbers and check each claim against the caller sheet.
Prize ideas for a tambola game
- A small box of sweets for the Early Five
- A scented candle or a pen set for each of the three lines
- A pair of earrings or a handkerchief set for the Four Corners
- A bigger gift, such as a hamper or a gift card, for the Full House
- A small prize for every player, so that nobody leaves empty-handed
Type any of these into the “Extra fun prizes” box and they print on the prize list:
- Pyramid: the first player to mark the numbers 1, 10 and 20
- Lucky Seven: the first to mark the number 7
- Birthday Month: the first to mark the number of the birthday month
- Breakfast: the first player to mark the numbers 1, 2 and 3
Tips for running a smooth tambola game
- Print a few spare tickets for guests who arrive late.
- Keep the caller sheet safe, because it is the only way to check a claim.
- Read each number twice, once as a number and once as its digits, for example “fifty-seven, five and seven”.
- Use the Traditional calls option in the live game if your players like rhymes.
Wikipedia’s bingo article describes the different forms of the game, including the 90-ball version.
Play tambola live on phones
Press Create game in the live game below, share the link and every guest opens a different e-ticket on their phone. Numbers are called automatically at the speed you choose, read aloud in English or Hindi if you like, and you can check any winning claim by ticket number. No app and no sign-up.
Tambola ticket generator: frequently asked questions
Is the tambola ticket generator free?
Yes. The generator, the PDF download, the caller sheet, the prize list and the live game are all free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Are the housie tickets really unique?
Yes. Each strip of six uses every number from 1 to 90 exactly once, and a new set of strips is made every time you press New tickets. There are about 3.7 × 1018 different valid tickets.
Can I make tambola tickets with a name or a message on them?
Yes. Use the title box (up to 40 characters) for a message, such as “Happy 50th, Asha!”, and the host or party name box. Both print on every ticket, together with the date.
How many tickets can I print?
From 1 to 600 in one go, with 3, 6, 8 or 12 tickets per page. Press New tickets for a completely different set, and choose Letter or A4 paper, in color or black and white.
Are the tambola ticket generator tickets free?
Yes. The tickets, caller sheet, prize list, rules page and live game are all free for home, club and classroom use, with no sign-up.