Housie: free picture tambola for parties
Picture housie for parties: everyone plays on their own phone and the host approves every win.
2–20 players · free · no app to installHost a gameHousie, also called tambola, is the Indian take on bingo. It's been the heart of Diwali nights, kitty parties and family get-togethers for generations. Our version keeps the familiar shape: a ticket of 15 items in three rows of five, a caller, and prizes for Early 5, each line and Full house.
Nobody needs paper tickets, a number board or a pen. The host calls from their phone, every call pops up on every guest's phone with a ding, and players tap to mark. When someone claims, the host sees their ticket next to an automatic check, so there's no arguing over a missed number.
Pick the Diwali theme for 80 illustrated pictures, from diyas and jalebis to rangoli and teen patti, or play classic numbers 1 to 80. It works for up to 20 players of any age, and a TV view lets the whole room follow the calls.
How to play
- 1
Setting up
The host picks a theme (Diwali pictures or numbers 1 to 80), chooses which prizes are in play and can type a prize for each one. Guests scan the QR code or open the link, sign in with Google and get their own ticket: 15 different items from the 80, laid out in 3 rows of 5. No two players in a game get the same ticket. - 2
Calling
After a 3-2-1 countdown, the host taps Call next for each item, with a 3-second window to cancel a mistaken tap. With auto-calling on, a new item is called every 15 seconds, and the host can pause and resume it. Every one of the 80 items is called once, in a random order. - 3
Marking your ticket
Tap an item on your ticket to mark it. You can only mark items that have already been called, so a stray tap can't spoil a claim. - 4
The prizes
Early 5: the first player to mark any 5 called items. Top line, Middle line and Bottom line: all 5 items in that row. Full house: all 15 items on the ticket. The host can switch any of these off before the game. - 5
Claiming
When a pattern is complete, the Claim button lights up. The host sees your ticket and the app's check against the calls, then approves or rejects it. Auto-calling waits while a claim is open and picks up again 5 seconds after the host decides. - 6
Two claims for one prize
Each prize is won once. If two players claim the same prize, the first claim the host approves wins it and the other claims close automatically. - 7
Winning and ending
Approving Full house ends the game, and so does the last item being called (any claim still waiting is settled then). The results show who won each prize. The host can also end the game early from the menu. - 8
If a phone drops out
If a phone sleeps or the browser closes, open the game again and sign in with the same Google account to get back to the same ticket. Before the game starts, the host can remove someone from the waiting room.
Host options
- Theme
- Diwali (80 illustrated pictures) or Numbers (1 to 80). Both use the same 3 × 5 ticket.
- Prizes
- Switch Early 5, Top line, Middle line, Bottom line and Full house on or off, and type an optional prize for each, up to 60 characters.
- Just for fun, no prizes
- Hides the prize boxes. Players still claim lines and Full house for bragging rights.
- I'm playing too
- The host gets their own ticket on the same phone they call from.
- Calling
- Tap to call each item yourself, or auto-call every 15 seconds.
Hosting tips
- Open the TV link on the biggest screen in the room so everyone can see the latest call and the board.
- Keep phone volume up. Each call arrives with a ding, which pulls back anyone who has drifted to the kitchen.
- With kids and grandparents in the same game, the Diwali pictures are easier to spot than numbers.
- Tap to call if you like adding your own patter between calls. Auto-calling every 15 seconds frees you to play, and all 80 calls then take about 20 minutes plus claim pauses.
- Agree the prizes before you start and type them in, so guests can see what they're playing for.
Themes & packs
Questions
Is online housie free?
Yes. It's free to host and free to play, with no app to install.
Do guests need to download an app?
No. Everyone plays in their phone's web browser. Guests scan the QR code or open the link, then tap Continue with Google once.
How many people can play?
Up to 20 players, each on their own phone. The host can play too, from the same phone they call on.
Can we play housie on a TV?
Yes, if you'd like to. The waiting room has a Show it on a TV link that opens a big-screen view of the calls and board in any browser. It's optional: every phone shows the latest call anyway.
What's the difference between housie, tambola and bingo?
They're the same number-calling idea. Housie and tambola are the names used in India, and bingo is the cousin played in the US and elsewhere. Housie uses tickets of 15 with prizes for Early 5, each line and Full house.
Are these the usual 90-number tambola tickets?
Not quite. Each of our tickets has 15 items from a set of 80, in 3 rows of 5 with no blank squares. The prizes work the way you'd expect.
Can two people win the same prize?
Both can claim, but only one wins. The first claim the host approves takes the prize and the others close automatically.
Can someone cheat by marking early?
No. You can only mark items that have been called, and the host sees an automatic check of every claim before approving it.
Does the app handle money or prizes?
No. Prizes are whatever the host offers. The app only tracks who won what.