Tambola Ticket Generator: Free Printable Housie Tickets

Make your own tambola tickets in seconds with this free generator. Every ticket follows the standard housie layout, so you can print a stack for tonight's kitty party, society function or family game, or save them as a PDF and share them on a phone. Pick how many tickets you need, press generate, then print or save.

How tambola tickets work

A standard housie ticket is a small grid of 3 rows and 9 columns, which makes 27 boxes. Only 15 of those boxes hold numbers, and the rest stay blank. The layout follows a few fixed rules:

• Five numbers in every row. Each of the three rows has exactly 5 numbers and 4 blanks.
• Each column covers a range. The first column holds numbers from 1 to 9, the second from 10 to 19, the third from 20 to 29, and so on, with the last column holding 80 to 90.
• Numbers go top to bottom in order. Within a column, the smaller number always sits above the larger one.
• Every column is used. In the usual style, each column has at least one number, so no column is completely empty.
• No repeats. A number never appears twice on the same ticket.

Traditional printed tambola books arrange tickets in sheets of six, where all 90 numbers appear exactly once across the six tickets. That is why some families buy tickets "by the sheet". For a home game, any set of valid tickets works perfectly well, as long as the caller draws from all 90 numbers. Run the game with our tambola number caller, and see the full tambola rules for prizes such as early five, lines and full house.

How to print tambola tickets

1. Choose the number of tickets and generate them. If a ticket has no serial number, write a small one in the corner, which helps when you check a claim.
2. Print on A4 paper. Use the print button and set the scale to fit the page. Thicker paper or card stock makes tickets easier to hold on a lap.
3. Or save as a PDF. In the print window, choose "Save as PDF" as the printer. You can then send the file on a messaging app so guests play on their phones, or print it later at a shop.
4. Cut along the lines with scissors or a paper trimmer. Keep the cut tickets in an envelope until the game starts so nobody picks favourites.
5. Keep a copy for yourself. Save the PDF or one printed set so you can verify a winning ticket by its number if there is any doubt.

How many tickets to make

Plan on one ticket per player plus a few spares. Many players like to buy two or three tickets each, which makes the game more exciting but harder for children and first-timers, so one ticket each is best for kids. A simple rule of thumb:

The generator makes 1 to 24 tickets at a time, so for a bigger game run it more than once and print each batch. With more tickets in play, prizes are claimed sooner, so a large game moves quickly. With very few tickets, the full house may need almost every number to be called. If you want a longer game, keep the ticket count low or add extra prize patterns.

Themed tickets and tickets without numbers

For festivals and kitty parties, many hosts like themed tambola. You can print the standard tickets and decorate the borders for Holi, Teej, Diwali, Christmas or a winter party. Another popular idea is tambola without numbers, where each box holds a word or picture instead, such as film songs, festival foods or baby items for a shower, and the caller reads a clue for each one. Blank housie tickets work well for this: draw the grid, fill in 15 words per ticket, and make sure every word on the tickets is also on the caller's list. You will find more ideas in our kitty party games guide.

Tips for a smooth game

• Hand out pens or dabbers with the tickets so nobody is searching for one when the first number is called.
• Announce the prizes and the claim rules before the first call, especially what happens with a wrong claim.
• Use small gifts, chocolates or points as prizes so the game stays a friendly family activity.
• For large halls, project the number board on a screen so people at the back can follow along.