How to play Tambola (Housie) online
Tambola, also called Housie, is the number game every Indian family knows from kitty parties, Diwali nights and club evenings. A caller draws numbers from 1 to 90, and players strike them off their tickets. The first person to complete a pattern wins that prize.
You no longer need printed tickets, a number board or someone who calls numbers all evening. Online Tambola deals the tickets, calls the numbers and checks every claim, so anyone can join from their own phone, at home or from another city.
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Tambola
Free online Tambola: create a room, share the link on WhatsApp, and every player gets their own ticket. Numbers are called automatically and claims are checked for you.
Tambola rules in one minute
- There are 90 numbers, 1 to 90. Each is called once, in random order.
- A ticket has 3 rows and 9 columns, with 15 numbers: 5 in every row.
- Column 1 holds 1–9, column 2 holds 10–19, and so on up to column 9, which holds 80–90.
- When a number is called and it is on your ticket, strike it off.
- When you complete a pattern, claim it before the next number. The first correct claim wins.
Common Tambola prizes
- Early Five: the first five numbers struck anywhere on the ticket.
- Top Line, Middle Line, Bottom Line: all five numbers in that row.
- Four Corners: the first and last numbers of the top and bottom rows.
- Full House: all 15 numbers. This is the big one and usually ends the game.
How to play Tambola online, step by step
- Open Tambola on borewho.in and create a room.
- Share the room link in your family or kitty WhatsApp group.
- Everyone opens the link on their phone, types a name and gets a ticket. No app, no sign-up.
- Start the game. Numbers are called one by one, and players tap to strike them off.
- Tap claim when you complete a pattern. The game checks it instantly, so there are no arguments about a false Full House.
Playing with relatives in another city?
Start a Zoom, Google Meet or WhatsApp video call, then share the Tambola link in the chat. Everyone keeps chatting on the call and plays on their own phone. It works the same for two people or a big family.
Questions & answers
Is Tambola the same as Housie?
Yes. Tambola and Housie are two names for the same game. It is a version of 90-ball bingo.
Do we need to print Tambola tickets?
No. Online, every player gets a ticket on their own phone, and a new one each game.
How many people can play Tambola online?
As many as you like. It works for a couple of players and for a big family or kitty group.
Is online Tambola free?
Yes. Tambola on borewho.in is free to play in the browser, with nothing to download.
What happens if someone claims wrongly?
The game checks every claim against the numbers called so far, so a wrong claim is caught straight away.