Loteria has been played as a game of chance, as a pastime, and for educational purposes. Because the Loteria cards include the name of the pictured character, they are used to teach reading, writing, history, and social values. Many bilingual teachers use the game as a teaching tool in the United States.

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 (Spanish word for "board") to play with, from a variety of previously created tablas, each with a different selection of

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You may be surprised to know that the quintessential Mexican game called La Lotera has its origins in Europe and came to Mexico by way of Spain. The traditional Loteria originated in Italy, moved to Spain, and finally came to Mexico in 1769.