1-12 bingo cards
A 1-12 bingo card is a 3x3 grid of 9 numbers taken from the 12 values 1 to 12 and placed in any square. It fits early counting and the twelve numbers of a clock face. 79,833,600 different cards exist; with 30 in play, the first line comes around call 3.
1 | 8 | 10 |
9 | 12 | 6 |
3 | 11 | 2 |
3x3 cards, 9 numbers each. Caller sheet included.
Free: up to 30 different cards per set. Pro: up to 1,000.
Free sets stop at 30 different cards. Your 30 cards are ready to print or download now.
Pro ($19 one-time) opens soon: up to 1,000 different cards per set and 2 or 4 cards on a PDF page. No payment is taken now.
Caller sheet
Every call in a shuffled order. Tick each one as you read it out; the same share link always gives the same order.
Updated
How 1-12 cards are laid out
Numbers are not tied to columns: each card takes 9 of the 12 numbers at random and places them anywhere. A card covers 75% of the values 1 to 12, so most calls mark something on most cards and games are short.
In our 400 simulated games with 30 cards, the first straight line fell at call 3 and the first full card (blackout) at call 10, out of 12 possible calls from 1 to 12.
How to make 1-12 bingo cards by hand
- Draw a 3x3 grid for each 1-12 card.
- Write 9 different values from 1 to 12 in any order. Each card leaves out 3 of the 12, which is what makes cards differ.
- Each 1-12 card now holds 9 of the 12 values. Compare new cards with the ones you have made, since two identical cards would win together.
- Write 1 to 12 on 12 slips (or print the caller sheet) and draw them one at a time.
How many different 1-12 cards exist
| Different cards | 79,833,600 |
|---|---|
| Exact count | 79,833,600 |
| How it is counted | An ordered choice of 9 numbers from 12: 12 × 11 × … × 4. |
| Numbers per card | 9 of 12 |
Exact chances: what is marked after 3, 6 and 9 calls
Chance that the numbers you need from 1 to 12 have all been called by each point, and the expected call at which the last of them comes up: k × (12 + 1) ÷ (k + 1).
| Goal | By call 3 | By call 6 | By call 9 | Expected call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One number you need | 25% | 50% | 75% | 6.5 |
| A given line (3 numbers) | 0.5% | 9% | 38% | 9.8 |
| Full card (9 numbers) | 0% | 0% | 0.5% | 11.7 |
How many calls until the first bingo
400 simulated games per row with cards from this page's generator; a card wins on any full row, column or diagonal. The range covers 8 games out of 10.
| Cards in play | Median calls | Range (10th-90th percentile) | Share of the numbers called |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 card | 6 | 4-8 | 50% |
| 10 cards | 4 | 3-5 | 33% |
| 30 cards | 3 | 3-4 | 25% |
| 100 cards | 3 | 3-3 | 25% |
How many 1-12 cards per person
One card per player is enough for 1-12 games, because each card already holds 75% of the values. In our runs a card on its own needed 6 calls for a line, while the first line among 10 cards came at call 4, among 30 at call 3 and among 100 at call 3.
So for 1-12 bingo, 10 players with 3 cards each, or 15 players with 2 each, should expect a winner around call 3 of 12; a class of 30 with one card each gives the same figure.
With only 12 values (1 to 12), 9 per card, any two 1-12 cards share most of their numbers, so with 30 cards a line falls by call 3. For a whole class, play for a full card instead: in our runs the first of 30 was full at call 10.
The spread between one card and thirty is only 3 calls when the caller draws from 1 to 12, so extra cards per player add little speed on these small grids.
What is in the 1-12 set
- 6 even and 6 odd numbers between 1 and 12.
- By length: 9 with one digit and 3 with two digits; mixing lengths is good place-value practice.
- 5 prime numbers in the set: 2, 3, 5, 7 and 11.
- Square numbers: 1, 4 and 9 (3 of 12).
- Multiples of ten: 10, a quick landmark for players scanning their card.
- Numbers with a repeated digit: 11 (1 of 12).
- Spoken: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve.
1-12 caller board
All 12 numbers in order, 12 per row. Cross each one off as you call it.
| #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 | #11 | #12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
How to play 1-12 bingo
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Make the cards
Generate cards above (free up to 30 per set, all different) and print one per player; a single card already finds a line in about 6 calls.
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Prepare the calls
Print the caller sheet: 1 to 12 (12 numbers) in a shuffled order.
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Call and mark
Read each number twice and cross it off the caller board. Expect the first line around call 3 with 30 cards.
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Check the winner
Ask the winner to read back their line; every number must be on your board. A blackout needs all 9 numbers; with 30 cards that took 10 calls in our runs.
Frequently asked questions
What numbers go on a 1-12 bingo card?
3x3 cards, 9 numbers each. Numbers are not tied to columns: each card takes 9 of the 12 numbers at random and places them anywhere.
How many different 1-12 bingo cards are there?
79,833,600 (79,833,600). An ordered choice of 9 numbers from 12: 12 × 11 × … × 4.
How do you make 1-12 bingo cards?
The generator above is already set to 1 to 12: choose how many cards you need and print or download them; every card in a set is different and the caller sheet lists every value from 1 to 12. To make them by hand, follow the 4 steps above.
How many cards should each person get?
One: each 1-12 card already holds 9 of the 12 values. With 10 cards in play the first bingo comes around call 4, with 30 around call 3 and with 100 around call 3; more cards per player mainly makes the game shorter.