For an event Sunday at Mexican American Council headquarters, 1537 South Washington, you can’t play a three- or four-digit number. You can’t go for big cash in the Powerball, or hope for some pocket money from a scratch-off.
Instead, Loteria is Mexican bingo, slated for 3 to 5 p.m. at the MAC Center. Cards are $2 apiece or three for $5, with a sunny forecast for some outdoor gaming. For families, the event is geared to children 10 and older.
Organizer Alberto Jiminez, MAC vice-president, says Loteria is educational because rather than mere numbers being called, the squares to be covered feature images with Spanish names and titles. For example, “el diablo” in Spanish is “the devil” in English. Players from any ethnic group may learn something.
But in the end, Loteria features the usual horizontal, vertical and diagonal rows, concluding with coveralls for a trio of grand prizes.
MAC is receiving a $500,000 federal ARPA grant, half for educational programs and half to upgrade and preserve the historic facility, but rules are strict and funds cannot be used for everyday operations such as utility bills for the center, or for helping clients in emergencies. Anyone who wishes to contribute may check the Mexican American Council’s Facebook page or call (989) 295-9757.
Lotería (Spanish word meaning “lottery”) 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.
