Tambola Join Codes and Passcodes
Tambola Join Codes and Passcodes
Section titled “Tambola Join Codes and Passcodes”Every Tambola game has one join code that guests use to get in, and two passcodes that control who can run it. Getting these right before your event starts is the difference between a smooth game and a room full of people waiting.
This article is for organizers setting up a game. It covers choosing a join code, understanding the two passcodes, and a short check to run before the event.
Choose a join code
Section titled “Choose a join code”The join code is what your guests type or scan to enter the game. You choose it yourself when you create the session.
- Open your event and create a Tambola session
- Enter a Join Code in the field provided
- Fill in the rest of your game settings and save
Your code must be:
- Between 4 and 16 characters
- Letters and numbers only, with no spaces or symbols
- Anything you like within those limits, so a memorable code tied to your event works well
Codes are automatically converted to capitals, so diwali2026 and DIWALI2026 are the same code. You do not need to type it in capitals.
Tip: Pick something your guests can read off a screen across a crowded hall. SHARMA2026 is easier to shout than X7K9QP.
Give every session its own join code
Section titled “Give every session its own join code”Each Tambola session needs its own join code. If you run a practice game and then the real one, give them different codes.
This matters more than it sounds. A join code points at one game. If two of your sessions share a code, your guests and your operator cannot reliably reach the one you actually want them in.
A simple pattern that works:
| Session | Join code |
|---|---|
| Practice run | SHARMA2026TEST |
| The real game | SHARMA2026 |
If you are running the same event again next year, you can reuse the code once the earlier game has finished.
Admin and operator passcodes
Section titled “Admin and operator passcodes”Alongside the join code, your session has two 6-digit passcodes. They are not interchangeable, and mixing them up is the most common reason a game does not start on time.
| Passcode | Who it is for | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | The person running the game | Calling numbers, approving claims, controlling the flow of play |
| Admin | You, the organizer | Everything the operator can do, plus setup work such as assigning tickets |
Your guests need neither. They only need the join code.
When someone joins, they pick a role and enter the matching passcode. Someone choosing Operator must enter the operator passcode. The admin passcode will not let them in as an operator, and vice versa.
Tip: If a family member or vendor is running the game for you, send them the join code and the operator passcode only. Keep the admin passcode to yourself.
The presentation screen, the big display showing called numbers to the room, does not need a passcode at all.
Before your event
Section titled “Before your event”Run through this once, ideally the day before, not five minutes before the game.
- Write down your join code and both passcodes somewhere you can reach on the night
- Send the operator the join code and the operator passcode
- Ask them to join once in advance as Operator, so any problem surfaces while there is time to fix it
- Check the join code works by opening it yourself on a second device
- Confirm the session you are testing is the one you plan to run, especially if you created more than one while setting up
Step 3 is the one people skip, and it is the one that saves the evening.
What to Do Next
Section titled “What to Do Next”| If you want to… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Let someone else run the game | Share the join code and the operator passcode with them |
| Show numbers on a big screen | Open the presentation screen; no passcode needed |
| Run a practice game first | Create a second session with a different join code |
| Change your join code | Edit the session before the game starts |
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”My operator cannot join
Section titled “My operator cannot join”Check these in order:
- Are they using the operator passcode? The admin passcode will not admit them as an operator.
- Are they entering the right join code? Confirm the code on their screen matches the session you intend to run.
- Have they picked the Operator role? The passcode must match the role selected.
- Is this the session you meant? If you created more than one session while setting up, make sure everyone is pointed at the same one.
Guests say the code does not work
Section titled “Guests say the code does not work”- Confirm the game has not already ended. An ended game does not accept new guests.
- Check for a typo. Codes are letters and numbers only, so a letter O and a zero are easy to confuse when read aloud.
- Confirm you are sharing the code for the session you actually started.
I created two sessions by mistake
Section titled “I created two sessions by mistake”Give them different join codes before you share anything. Decide which session you are running, set the other one to a different code, and share only the code for the session you intend to play.
If both sessions still carry the same code, change one of them first. Two sessions sharing a code is the single most common cause of guests or operators landing in the wrong game.