The Role of Luck in Brazil’s Jogo do Bicho

Jogo do Bicho is a Brazilian informal type of lottery, that features animals and provides players with numerous betting opportunities. Despite the colourful lottery game’s huge popularity in Brazil, it may stun some to learn this game is actually illegal. And it has been illegal for over 100 years in Brazil.

Brazil takes a pretty strict stance on casino games and gambling on games of chance. Sports bettors and horse racing punters have nothing to fear, as all forms of betting on sports or races are fully legalized in the country. And yet casino games have been illegal for ages, but legalization is closer now than it has ever been before. It’s only a matter of time before slots, table games, bingo and poker all become legal in Brazil, in the eyes of the law. But the same cannot be said for Brazil’s traditional Jogo do Bicho.

Who Invented Jogo do Bicho

Jogo do Bicho translates to animal game, and is a simple yet charming type of lottery or raffle game. The game was created in 1890 by João Batista Viana Drummond, the owner of the Vila Isabel Zoo in Rio de Janeiro. Drummond got the permission of the Municipal City Council (Câmara Municipal do Rio de Janeiro) to run the raffle. Originally, it was intended to boost the zoo attendance figures and bring in more people. Don’t think of this game as a standard raffle, bingo-type game, tombola or similar type of contest.

The game involved contestants drawing tickets with images of animals, and was classified as a lawful public game. The lottery was a success, increasing the attendance figures and revenue of the zoo. And this success was quickly noticed by bookmakers and gambling operators. Between 1892 and 1894, Drummond controlled Jogo do Bicho, but his original game soon got swamped by merchants creating copies. The game expanded and became more of a gambling vice than a genuine public lottery for the zoo.

In 1895, after the game spread in illegal gambling circles for a year, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Furquim Werneck de Almeida, banned the game. The Vila Isabel zoo thus went into decline, and it was later forced to shut in 1940. But the game refused to go away.

Illegal Status of Jogo do Bicho

The underground scene in Brazil was massive in the beginning of the 20th century, and Jogo do Bicho flourished as a result. Several laws were made to criminalize the activity, punishing both operators and anyone who took part. But it was difficult to find these games and properly repress Jogo do Bicho. In 1946, President Eurico Gaspar Dutra prohibited gambling in the whole country.

Yet Jogo do Bicho didn’t go away then either. It was illegal but accessible and quite transparent, something that attracted gamblers. Jogo do bicho arguably became more organised following the 1946 absolute gambling ban. In the 1970s, jogo do bicho took another turn, and became a favorite game of the cartel. In 1989, a bookmaker “Marechal” was murdered as his competitors looked to claim his territory in the south zone of São Paulo.

The criminal association with the game only intensified in the 1990s and 2000s. The bookmakers supplying these games were involved in corruption, money laundering and extortion. Jogo do bicho also became associated with drug trafficking and even death.

Nowadays, jogo do bicho is still illegal, but there has been interest in legitimising the game among lawmakers. A bill was proposed in 2014, but it didn’t reach the Federal Senate. So today, jogo do bicho is unfortunately still illegal and practised in illicit gambling markets. However, there are some online versions of jogo do bicho, including BGaming’s game, that give players a safe and controlled variant of the game. The games are still hugely popular in Brazil, but you should be careful where you play it. To steer clear of any illegal or criminal bookmakers, you can always find online RNG games of jogo do bicho, or look for free mobile apps with the game.

How Jogo do Bicho is Played

The original game uses 25 animals, each of which is assigned 4 numbers. For instance, a dog (05) is one of the animals in the original game, and is assigned the number 17, 18, 19, and 20. Here is the full list of the animals, their primary numbers, and the secondary numbers that fall within their coverage.

• 01 Ostrich – 01 to 04
• 02 Eagle – 05 to 08
• 03 Donkey – 09 to 12
• 04 Butterfly – 13 to 16
• 05 Dog – 17 to 20
• 06 Goat – 21 to 24
• 07 Sheep – 25 to 28
• 08 Camel – 29 to 32
• 09 Snake – 33 to 36
• 10 Rabbit – 37 to 40
• 11 Horse – 41 to 44
• 12 Elephant – 45 to 48
• 13 Rooster – 49 to 52
• 14 Cat – 53 to 56
• 15 Alligator – 57 to 60
• 16 Lion – 61 to 64
• 17 Monkey – 65 to 68
• 18 Pig – 69 to 72
• 19 Peacock – 73 to 76
• 20 Turkey – 77 to 80
• 21 Bull – 81 to 84
• 22 Tiger – 85 to 88
• 23 Bear – 89 to 92
• 24 Deer – 93 to 96
• 25 Cow – 97 to 00

Jogo do Bicho Types of Bets

Jogo do bicho has a number of props bets. The animal bet has a 1 in 25 chance of winning, unless you bet on numerous animals. Some bookmakers allow this, with players covers 2 or even 3 animals.

Now the numbers bet are a bit more complex. They can relate to the last 2 numbers (tens), last three (hundreds) or all four (thousands).

• Cabeça/Heads: A bet on an animal (group of 4 numbers)
• Dezena/tens: A bet on the last 2 digits
• Centena/Hundreds: A bet on the last 3 digits
• Milhar/Thousands: A bet on all 4 digits

The payouts and house edge vary depending on where you play this game, but the theory, and standard bets we listed above, are universally the same. There are some bookmakers, or bicheiro (as they are known colloquially), were you can also bet on two animals, or mix and match wagers.

Alternative Lottery Games for Brazilian Players

Now there are legalised versions of the game, such as BGaming’s jogo do bicho, some online jogo do bicho sites and various bookmakers in the Northern part of the country. The latter are bookmakers in Brazil that the authorities turn a blind eye to, because they don’t deal with huge sums of money or have any criminal ties. But you have to note that this is not an easy game to come by. Even BGaming’s jogo do bicho is not served at all licensed online casinos, it is something of a rarity that would fall under the “lotto-style games” or even crammed away in a “instant win” or “specialty games” category.

So if you want to play similar lottery games in Brazil but stay on the right side of the law, you can always try out the Mega Sena National Lottery. Run by the state, this lottery is renowned for its massive jackpots, and holds draws twice a week. Other options include Quina, Lotofacil and the Federal Lottery, all of which are fully legal. If you have access to the European, UK or North American markets, then you can also try your luck at the UK National Lottery, EuroMillions or Powerball. There are lotteries in virtually all countries, mostly run by the state, and all are fully legal.

Casino Games with a Similar Spin

But as a betting strategist, you would know that the lottery games have an extremely large house edge, and the chances of winning are slim to say the least. Despite players trying different lotto winning strategies – most of which are based in superstition or mired in gambler’s fallacies.

From a gambling perspective, there are alternative casino games with a much lower edge. And much lower volatility (wins more often but in smaller amounts). The closest game of chance with multiple betting options is probably roulette. This game doesn’t have the same tremendous payouts, but the house edge is significantly smaller, and there are multiple ways to combine roulette wagers to cover more segments and mitigate your chances of losing.

Other games with a similar mindset to jogo do bicho are Sic Bo (a Chinese dice game), Fan-Tan, and Craps. You could also find bingo games with similar gameplay elements.

Cultural Superstitions Around Jogo do Bicho

Jogo do bicho has managed to carve itself into Brazil’s gambling culture and tradition. And then breach those boundaries and go even further. Some of the numbers in the game have cultural references, or historical meaning.

It can reach all kinds of superstitions and entwine with fortune-telling beliefs too. You may see a cloud formation that looks like a goat (06), or have a lucky day and try betting on the date or number of the month.

The elephant (12) has come to be associated with death or bad luck. Whenever there are fatal traffic accidents and cars have one of the elephant numbers in their license plate (45-48), the bettors flock to bet on jogo do bicho. Another common one is having a dream relating to horses (11), which is seen as a fortune-telling sign.

Jogo do Bicho Gambling and Strategy

Ultimately, though, this is a game of pure chance. Superstitions are fine as long as players don’t read into them too heavily or believe that they are guaranteed to win. Because jogo do bicho is really just a draw of numbers, and anything can happen.

There are no real strategies or ways you can gain an edge in this game. But you aren’t really supposed to, just like lotteries. These are games in which you can bet small, such as 1 BRL, and win lengthy payouts if you get super lucky. And that’s where the fun lies.

It is a thrill seeking endeavor that can give you a hit of dopamine, and make you dream of what if. But it is not a game that can guarantee wins or you can calculate an ROI for. Right now, jogo do bicho remains illegal in Brazil (with the exception of some licensed online games or free mobile apps). But hopefully, lawmakers will find a way of legalising the operations, thus making it safer. And that should shake the negative associations with the games, giving a new lease of life to what is definitely a classic Brazilian game of chance.