Lotería is a traditional game of chance, similar to bingo, but using images on a deck of cards instead of numbered ping pong balls. Every image has a name and an assigned number, but the number is usually ignored. Each player has at least one tabla, a board with a randomly created 4 x 4 grid of pictures with their corresponding name and number. Players choose a tabla to play with, from a variety of previously created tablas, each with a different selection of images. Lotería is the Spanish word for lottery. The deck is composed with a set of 54 different cards with a picture on it. To start, the caller shuffles the deck. One by one, the caller picks a card from the deck and announces it to the players by its name, sometimes using a verse before reading the card name. Each player locates the matching pictogram of the card just announced on their board and marks it off with a chip or other kind of marker. In Mexico, it is traditional to use small rocks, crown corks or pinto beans as markers. The winner is the first player that shouts "¡Buena!" right after completing a tabla or a previous agreed pattern: row, column, diagonal or a pozo. Lotería de Pozo is a variant version of the traditional Mexican Lotería, where the basic rules apply. For this version, before the game begins, players agree on how many pozos are to be completed in a row, column or diagonal pattern. A Pozo is a group of images in a square. The square may contain 2 x 2 or 3 x 3 images for a traditional tabla. Loteria online game is a game to allow computer users to play an online a version of the Lotería Mexicana. It was created back in 1996.
History
The origin of lotería can be traced far back in history. The game originated in Italy in the 15th century and was brought to New Spain in 1769. In the beginning, lotería was a hobby of the upper classes, but eventually it became a tradition at Mexican fairs. Don Clemente Jacques began publishing the game in 1887. The current images have become iconic in Mexican culture, as well as gaining popularity in the US and some European countries. Other popular Lotería sets are Lotería Leo, Gacela and Lotería de mi tierra. During the 1930s, the Catholic church came up with their own version of la Lotería. It consisted of Catholic images instead of the traditional images used in the original game. The Catholic church did this to promote their beliefs by making their very own game board similar to the Lotería.
Cards and associated verses
The following is a list of the original 54 lotería cards, traditionally and broadly recognized in Mexico. Below each card name and number, are the verses sometimes used to tell the players which card was drawn. However, there are several less traditional sets of cards, depicting different objects or animals. 1 El gallo 2 El diablito 3 La dama 4 El catrín 5 El paraguas 6 La sirena 7 La escalera 8 La botella 9 El barril 10 El árbol 11 El melón 12 El valiente 13 El gorrito 14 La muerte 15 La pera 16 La bandera 17 El bandolón 18 El violoncello 19 La garza 20 El pájaro 21 La mano 22 La bota 23 La luna 24 El cotorro 25 El borracho 26 El negrito 27 El corazón 28 La sandía 29 El tambor 30 El camarón 31 Las jaras 32 El músico 33 La araña 34 El soldado 35 La estrella 36 El cazo 37 El mundo 38 El Apache 39 El nopal 40 El alacrán 41 La rosa 42 La calavera 43 La campana 44 El cantarito 45 El venado 46 El Sol 47 La corona 48 La chalupa 49 El pino 50 El pescado 51 La palma 52 La maceta 53 El arpa 54 La rana
On December 9, 2019, Google celebrated Lotería with a Google Doodle. The interactive game has the El Apache, El borracho, El diablito, El gorrito, La muerte, El negrito, El soldado, and El valiente cards replaced with El ajolote, El buscador, La concha, El elote, El emoji, El gorro, El guacamole, and El xoloitzcuintle. Artworks for La sirena and El guacamole cards not found during the game can still be seen in the background of the end screen.
