Lotería, the Spanish word for “lottery,” is a traditional game of chance similar to bingo. Players mark pictograms off their tablas, or table, as the cantor calls them, and the winner is the first to complete an agreed-upon pattern. It’s primarily a game of chance, with simple mechanics and rules, making it a popular casual pastime that people of all ages can play.
Variations based on similar European games were played in New Spain. Still, French-born entrepreneur Don Clemente Jaques created the Mexican version of Lortería, a cultural icon outside the Aztec nation, to maximize his investment in a printing press. Jaques was primarily in the food packing business, but soon after starting in 1887, he realized it was faster and cheaper to run his press than hire an outside printer.
Today’s version comprises a deck of 54 pictograms inspired by tarot cards and initially painted in watercolor. The popularity and long history of Lotería make it popular among many Mexicans and has inspired countless parodies. What’s more, many cards serve as visual markers that are an enduring part of Mexican identity.
