Jogo do Bicho · English
Famous bicheiros of Brazil
Jogo do bicho is a Brazilian lottery-style tradition dating to 1892. This guide covers what English-speaking readers most often ask about, with cross-links to the Portuguese source pages.
Overview
Jogo do bicho was created on July 6, 1892 by Baron of Drummond as a raffle to draw visitors to his failing zoo in Vila Isabel (Rio de Janeiro). Each admission ticket contained one of 25 animals; if the animal drawn that day matched the ticket, the visitor won a prize. The game exploded into an informal national lottery within a decade; it was made a misdemeanor in 1941 and has operated in the legal grey zone ever since.
How it works today
A 4-digit combination is drawn from an official source (usually the Loteria Federal Caixa, or the PT-Rio informal draw). Each combination maps to one of the 25 animal groups by its last two digits. Bettors can wager on the exact 4-digit number (milhar), on the last three (centena), the last two (dezena), or on the animal group itself (grupo). Payouts range from ~3.5× (grupo cercado) to 4000× (milhar seca).
Key facts
- Draws: multiple times per day, 7 days a week
- Groups: exactly 25, each covering 4 dezenas
- Odds per group: 1 in 25 per prêmio (uniform)
- Odds per milhar seca: 1 in 10,000
- Payment: mostly PIX; historical cash-and-notebook methods still exist in bairros
Related resources (Portuguese)
Jogo do bicho is a game of chance based on centuries of Brazilian folk tradition. Any bet has an expected value below stake. Bet only what you can afford to lose.