How Tambola Tickets Work — and How to Print Your Own
Three rows, nine columns, fifteen numbers — but there's more to a Tambola ticket than meets the eye. Here's how a valid ticket is built, why tickets come in strips of six, and how to print a perfect set for your party.
A Tambola ticket looks like a random grid of numbers, but every real ticket follows a strict set of rules. Knowing them helps you spot a fake or misprinted ticket, explains why some tickets "feel lucky", and makes printing your own much easier.
1The anatomy of a ticket
Every valid Tambola (Housie) ticket has:
- 3 rows and 9 columns — 27 boxes in total.
- 15 numbers between 1 and 90, with 12 empty boxes.
- Exactly 5 numbers in every row. No row ever has 4 or 6.
- At least 1 and at most 3 numbers in every column. No column is ever completely empty.
- Numbers that go up from top to bottom inside each column.
2Which numbers go in which column
Each column holds its own band of numbers. That's why you always find 85 at the right-hand end of a ticket and never in the middle:
| Column | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers | 1–9 | 10–19 | 20–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 | 60–69 | 70–79 | 80–90 |
| How many | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
Notice the first column only has nine numbers (there's no 0) and the last column has eleven, because 90 joins the 80s. This small quirk is why some ticket designs look slightly "heavier" on the right.
3Strips of six: the traditional ticket book
Printed Tambola books are traditionally arranged in strips of six tickets. Six tickets × 15 numbers = 90, so a perfect strip contains every number from 1 to 90 exactly once. Buy a whole strip and you are guaranteed to strike off a number on every single call.
On TambolaCaller.com, when a host gives one player several tickets in a Party Room, the generator builds them like a strip: no number repeats across that player's own tickets, so every ticket in their set adds new numbers to watch.
4Are some tickets luckier?
No — but some tickets feel luckier. Every number is equally likely to be called, so every valid ticket has the same chance of winning Full House. What changes is when you might win the smaller prizes:
- A ticket with a crowded row can feel close to a line win, but each line still needs exactly 5 specific numbers.
- In a typical family game, Early Five is usually claimed within the first 10–20 numbers, and Full House usually after 70–85 numbers.
- Playing two tickets doubles your chances — and doubles the numbers you have to watch, so slow the calling speed down a little.
5How to generate and print tickets
- Open the free ticket generator and go to the Tickets tab.
- Type your party or event name — it prints on every ticket.
- Choose how many tickets you need (1 to 600) or tap a quick button: 6, 12, 24 or 60.
- Tap Generate, then Print / Save PDF. Tickets print 12 to an A4 page with dashed cut lines.
- Use the number size buttons (A, A+, A++) if elders find small numbers hard to read.
6Reuse your tickets
- Laminate a set and use dry-erase markers — wipe and replay all evening.
- Slip tickets into plastic sheet protectors for the same effect without a laminator.
- Use counters instead of pens: buttons, rajma beans or small chocolates on each called number.
- Go digital: on a phone, tap numbers on the on-screen ticket to circle them — no paper needed.
7How many tickets do you need?
| Players | Tickets | Pages to print (12 per A4) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 6 | 12 (two each) | 1 |
| 12 | 24 | 2 |
| 30 | 60 | 5 |
| 100 (society function) | 120–200 | 10–17 |
Always print a few extras for late arrivals and kids who want "one more ticket".
8Spot an invalid ticket
Using a ticket from an old book or a random website? Check it in 10 seconds:
- Count each row — exactly 5 numbers?
- Any column completely empty? That's invalid.
- Any number in the wrong column (like 45 in the third column)?
- Numbers going down inside a column (like 38 above 31)?
- Same number twice on one ticket?
Every ticket from our generator passes all these checks automatically.
9Frequently asked questions
How many numbers are on a Tambola ticket?
15 numbers — five in each of the three rows. The other 12 boxes are empty.
Why does the last column go up to 90?
There are 90 numbers but 9 columns. The first column holds 1–9 (nine numbers) and the last column holds 80–90 (eleven numbers) so that every number from 1 to 90 has a place.
Can I print Tambola tickets for free?
Yes. TambolaCaller.com generates up to 600 unique, valid tickets for free, 12 per A4 page, with your event name on each ticket.
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