75-Ball Bingo Cards (Free Printable Generator)

How the 75-ball game works

This is the version most people in the United States and Canada know. A card is a five by five grid. Each column has its own range of numbers: B holds 1 to 15, I holds 16 to 30, N holds 31 to 45, G holds 46 to 60 and O holds 61 to 75. The center square is free.

1. Print a card for every player and give each one a pen, a dauber or a handful of small counters.
2. Put the numbers 1 to 75 into a bag or open the online bingo caller on a screen.
3. Call each number with its letter, such as "B 7" or "O 68", and players mark it if it is on the card.
4. The first player to complete the agreed pattern calls "Bingo!". Check their marked numbers against the numbers already called.
5. Clear the cards and begin again with the next pattern.

Patterns to play

• Straight line. Any row, column or diagonal wins. This is the standard opening game and usually ends quickly.
• Four corners. The four outer corner squares. It suits short rounds between other activities.
• Blackout. Every number on the card must be covered. It takes the longest and is the usual choice for a final, larger prize.
• Postage stamp or letter shapes. Players cover a small square in one corner, or form a T, an X or an L. Announce the shape before the round.

Tips for running a game

Keep a written list of the numbers called, in order, so you can check a winner. The caller sheet option prints a tick list of all 75 numbers for this.

With a large group, call at a steady pace of about one number every five seconds, and repeat each number once. Printing larger cards, one per page, helps older players.

Decide the prize and the pattern before the first number. Then there are no arguments later, and everyone knows what they are playing for.

Printing and sizes

Two cards per page on Letter or A4 paper gives squares large enough to read comfortably. For a hall or a classroom with a mixed crowd, one card per page is easier on the eyes.

Cardstock holds up better when players press with daubers. Use black and white mode if you are printing a large batch for a fundraiser or community night, since that saves ink.