You need one lotería board per player, so count your guests first. A 10 board set covers a family table; a 20 board set covers a birthday, a classroom or a posada. Pick the set, decide how you will mark the boards (chips, play pesos or beans), and you are ready for game night tonight.
What a lotería board is
A lotería board, or tabla, is a card printed with 16 pictures in a 4 by 4 grid. Every picture on the board matches a card in the deck: el gallo, la luna, la sirena, el árbol. The boards are different from one another, so each player chases a different mix of pictures.
The game needs three things: the boards, the deck of picture cards, and something to mark the pictures as they are called. One person, the caller or gritón, shuffles the deck and sings out the cards, often with a rhyme. When you complete the pattern you agreed on, you shout ¡Lotería! and win the round. The full rules, the patterns and the caller's job are in how to play lotería.
How many lotería boards do you need?
One board per player is the rule. Young kids can share a board with a parent, and teenagers sometimes play two boards at once, but plan with one each and you will not run short. Use this guide.
- 2 to 10 players: a 10 board set is enough. That is a dinner table, a small family or a game night with friends.
- 11 to 20 players: a 20 board set. A classroom, a birthday party, a baby shower or a posada.
- More than 20 players: two 20 board sets, or play in teams of two sharing a board. Call the cards from one deck for both sets.
A board also wears out. If one gets a drink spilled on it, you lose one player's seat. Having a few spare boards in a 20 board set means nobody sits out.
10 board set vs 20 board set
The lotería set for 10 players includes 10 boards and a deck of cards. It is the light option: you bring your own beans or coins to mark the boards, it fits in a drawer, and it travels well to the park or to grandma's house.
The 20 player sets are the complete party sets. Each one includes 20 boards, a deck of cards, 80 markers and 100 pieces to mark with: either 100 chips or 100 play Mexican pesos. If you host more than a family table, go for 20 boards. If you only ever play at home with six people, 10 boards and a bag of beans do the job.
Chips, markers or play pesos: how to mark your board
Any small object works: dried pinto beans, pebbles, bottle caps, even corn kernels. In many families beans are the tradition, and a bag of beans is the cheapest refill you will ever buy. The sets with chips or play pesos save you the trip to the pantry and look better on the table.
- Chips: 100 colored chips that sit flat on the picture and are easy to sweep off between rounds. The set with 100 chips is the classic version.
- Play pesos: the set with play Mexican pesos swaps the chips for 100 play pesos. Kids love paying with them, and you can use them as the pot everyone bets into.
- Markers: both 20 player sets also include 80 markers, so you have two ways to mark and more than enough pieces for a long night.
- Refills: chips roll under the couch. A 100 pack of lotería chips brings the table back to full, and the chips are sized for standard and giant boards.
How long does a lotería game take?
A single round, from the first card to someone shouting ¡Lotería!, usually takes 5 to 10 minutes with 10 players and a little longer with 20. A row, column or four corners comes faster; a full board (tabla llena) takes the longest. Most families play 6 to 10 rounds in an evening and switch callers so everyone gets to sing the cards. If you play for a small pot of coins or play pesos, the night stretches on its own.
A little lotería history
The pictures on the most popular boards date back to the late 19th century, and the best known designs are the ones from Don Clemente Jacques. A board printed in Mexico City between 1901 and 1920 carries the work of José Guadalupe Posada. In many families the boards were painted at home. The artist Carmen Lomas Garza grew up with a mother who painted tablas de lotería, and her 1972 print Lotería, Tabla Llena is now in a national museum collection. The caller's sayings, funny and wise, are part of why the game brings extended families together.
Pick the set for your table
Boards, cards and chips for family nights, posadas and classrooms.
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Frequently asked questions about lotería boards
How many players can play lotería?
As many as you have boards. Two people can play, and a 20 board set seats 20. For a bigger crowd, combine two sets or let pairs share a board. The caller usually does not play, so count one extra person for that seat.
How long does a lotería game take?
About 5 to 10 minutes per round. A full board takes the longest; a row, a column or four corners ends in a few minutes. Plan on an hour for 6 to 8 rounds with a group of 10 to 20.
Do you need a board for the caller?
No. The caller holds the deck, not a board. If you want the caller to play too, rotate the job every round so nobody misses out.
What do you use to mark a lotería board?
Beans, pebbles, coins, chips or play pesos. Anything small that sits on the picture. The 20 player sets come with 100 chips or 100 play pesos plus 80 markers; the 10 player set uses whatever you have at home.
How many cards are in a lotería deck?
The classic deck has 54 picture cards, one for each image that can appear on the boards. You can see every card, its number and what it means in our list of all 54 lotería cards.
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