How to Play Loteria

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson Reviewed by Ashton Wu

Last Updated: November 28, 2023

If you love bingo but want to play a game that's a little more interactive, try playing loteria. This classic Mexican game has images instead of numbers on the boards. Listen for the caller to sing out a riddle or name of an image and then place a token on your board if you have it. The first player to get 4 tokens in a row and call out "¡Lotería!" wins.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Out the Cards and Boards

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1
Assign 1 person to be the caller. You'll need to decide which person will be the caller or singer. This person will draw cards from the stack and call the name of the card.^{[1]
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- In some parts of Mexico, the caller actually sings the name of the card.
2
Pass out 1 board to each player. Each board (also called a tabla) is made up of 16 images. There are 4 images running horizontally and 4 images going vertically to make a grid.^{[2]
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- Each board has 16 images, but there are 54 possible images so each board will be different.
Tip: To make the game more challenging, consider playing with more than 1 board. For example, give each player 2 boards to play on.

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3
Set out tokens for each player to use. Depending on how many people are playing you'll need around 50 small tokens. The players will place these tokens on the board when the caller names the image. For tokens, consider using:^{[3]
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- Small rocks
- Dried pinto beans
- Bottle caps
4
Decide if you'd like to bet or play for a jackpot. Talk with the other players and decide if you'd all like to wager money or chip in to make a jackpot. Remember that you could offer non-monetary prizes too.
- For example, the winner could get candy, toys, art supplies, or flashlights.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Following the Rules of Loteria

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1
Direct the caller to pick a card and announce it by its name. The caller will take a card from the deck and read or sing the name of the card. The caller could also choose to give a riddle instead of saying the name of the card.^{[4]
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- For example, the caller could say, "For the sun and the rain. (Para el sol y para el agua.)" Or the caller could simply say "el paraguas" so everyone would look for the umbrella.
Did You Know? Although there are numbers listed on the cards, they're not used to play the game.
2
Place a token on the board if you have the image. If you have the image that the caller named, place a single token on your board. Continue to listen and place tokens on the images you have.^{[5]
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- Remember that you probably won't have every image that's called.
3
Look for a row of 4 tokens and call "¡Lotería!" Keep playing until you cover 4 images diagonally, vertically, or horizontally, be the first person to call out "¡Lotería!" in order to win the game.^{[6]
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- In some areas, you may call out "¡Buenas!" to become the winner.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Recognizing Some of the Images and Riddles

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1
Look for el corazón. If the caller sings out "el corazón," look for the image that's shaped like an anatomical heart. Keep in mind that some card decks might show a simplistic heart shape. The most popular riddle for el corazón is:^{[7]
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- Do not miss me, sweetheart, I'll be back by bus. (No me extrañes corazón, que regreso en el camión.)
2
Listen for la dama. In classic loteria cards, la dama will look like a lady dressed in a two-piece teal dress suit with a fuschia hat and shirt. She holds a bouquet of pink flowers in one hand and a red clutch in the other. A common riddle for la dama is:^{[8]
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- Polishing as she steps, all along the royal street. (Puliendo el paso, por toda la calle real.)
Did You Know? La dama is 1 of 3 women in the classic set of loteria cards.
3
Locate la sirena. Although you may think the caller is talking about a mythical siren, la sirena can also mean a mermaid. To find la sirena, look for the topless mermaid with a red tail and black hair. One of her arms stretches up towards the blue sky. You'll probably hear the caller say:^{[9]
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- Don't be swayed by the songs of the siren. (Con los cantos de sirena, no te vayas a marear.)
4
Recognize el sol. The image of el sol is usually represented by a large, round sun that's bright red against a blue sky. You'll also see yellow rays beaming from the sun. The sun's eyes, nose, and mouth form a serious expression.^{[10]
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- You'll hear el sol described as a blanket, roof, or coat for the poor. (La cobija de los pobres.)
5
Find la chalupa. La chalupa is the sloop or little boat that's being paddled by a woman down a river. The boat is filled with fruits, vegetables, and bright yellow flowers. The riddle that is most commonly associated with la chalupa is:^{[11]
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- Paddle and paddle goes Lupita, seated in her little boat. (Rema y rema va lupita, sentada en su chalupita.)

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Tips

To play loteria in Northern Mexico, use a tabla that has 9 images instead of 16.

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To raise the stakes, consider playing for prizes.

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