Walk into a serious Tambola game and you'll hear a language all its own. "I'm going for early five!" "That's a bogey claim!" "Who's got the full strip?" If you've ever nodded along without quite knowing what these terms mean, this glossary is for you. Here's every Tambola term every player should know, explained simply.
The Basics
Tambola / Housie: The same game — a 90-number game of chance played on gridded tickets. "Tambola" and "Housie" are used interchangeably in India. (More on the Tambola vs Housie distinction.)
Ticket: The 3-row by 9-column grid each player marks. Contains 15 numbers and 12 blank spaces.
Caller: The person (or system) who draws and announces numbers from 1 to 90.
Dividend: A winning pattern. Each dividend is a separate prize you can claim by completing it.
Claim: Announcing that you've completed a dividend, usually by shouting "Housie!" or "Tambola!" and tapping the claim button online.
The Dividends (Winning Patterns)
Early Five (or Quick Five / First Five): The first player to mark any 5 numbers on their ticket. Usually the first dividend won. (Read more in our winning patterns guide.)
Top Line: All 5 numbers in the first row of your ticket.
Middle Line: All 5 numbers in the second (middle) row.
Bottom Line: All 5 numbers in the third (last) row.
Four Corners: The first and last numbers of the top row, plus the first and last of the bottom row — 4 numbers total.
Full House (or Housie): All 15 numbers on your ticket marked. The biggest prize, and the dividend that ends the game.
Star / Pyramid / Lucky 7: Optional bonus dividends some hosts add for variety.
The Jargon
Bogey (or Bogey Claim): A false or invalid claim — when someone shouts "Housie!" but hasn't actually completed the dividend. Some house rules penalise repeated bogeys.
Strip: A set of 6 tickets that together contain all 90 numbers exactly once. Hold a full strip and every called number appears on one of your tickets. (We explained the maths behind the strip.)
Sheet: Sometimes used interchangeably with strip, or to refer to a printed page of multiple tickets.
House Rules: Custom rules a host sets — which dividends are in play, how ties are resolved, bogey penalties, and so on.
Tie / Split: When two players claim the same dividend at the same time. Usually the prize is split, or (online) the first to tap wins.
The Number Nicknames
Calling Names: Traditional nicknames callers use for numbers — "Two Little Ducks" for 22, "Two Fat Ladies" for 88, "Kelly's Eye" for 1. A British bingo tradition that lives on in Indian Tambola. (We've listed all 90 nicknames.)
Online Tambola Terms
Room: A private game space the host creates and shares via a link.
Auto-marking: When the system automatically marks called numbers on your digital ticket.
Claim Verification: The system instantly checking whether a claim is valid against the called numbers — no human disputes. (This is how online Tambola avoids bogey arguments.)
Calling Speed: How fast the system announces numbers — adjustable by the host, usually 4–10 seconds per number.
Now You Speak Tambola
With this glossary, you'll never be lost at a Tambola game again. You'll know your early five from your full house, spot a bogey claim when you see one, and understand exactly why someone is excited to hold a full strip. The language of Tambola is part of its charm — a shared vocabulary that connects players across generations and cities.
Ready to put the lingo into practice? Play Tambola online free, learn how to play, or master the full rules.
