How are cards randomized?

Custom cards offer Full card randomization and Classic bingo (column-restricted). The selected mode controls which items can appear in each position when cards are produced.

Full card randomisation

With Full card randomization, items can appear in any grid position. A free space occupies one grid position, so it reduces the minimum number of card items by one:

Add more than the minimum to give the generator more items to choose from. This creates more possible card layouts.

Classic bingo column-restricted randomisation

With Classic bingo (column-restricted), each column uses a specific part of the item list. The order of your items therefore matters.

Items after the listed limit will not appear on cards in that grid.

When a free space is on, you still need all 30, 80, or 75 items listed for the selected grid. The free space takes one position on the finished card.

Choose the mode

1. Open a Custom card in Setup.
2. Select the 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5 grid.
3. Find Randomization method under Additional options.
4. Select Full card randomization or Classic bingo (column-restricted).
5. Read the minimum and column ranges shown for the selected grid.

If a mode is greyed out, add the minimum number of items shown beside it.

Can cards repeat?

The generator shuffles the items separately for each card, but it does not check whether it has already produced the same layout. Two cards can therefore match, either in one PDF or across separate PDFs.

Adding more items than the grid minimum creates more possible layouts, which makes a repeat less likely, but it does not guarantee that every card will be unique.

You can generate up to 1,000 cards in one PDF run. That quantity is an output limit, not a uniqueness guarantee.

Related guides

• How do I create a bingo card?
• How do I print a card?