Cultural reference · English
Frequently asked questions
What does 'jogo do bicho' literally mean?
Literally 'the animal game.' Portuguese 'bicho' means 'animal' (colloquially, 'critter'). The name reflects the game's core mechanic: numbers are grouped and labeled with animal names.
Is jogo do bicho legal in Brazil?
No. It has been a criminal misdemeanor since Decree-Law 3,688 of 1941. The 2023 Bets Law regulating online sports betting and iGaming did not include it. Only the state of Paraíba, through LOTEP, operates a formally licensed animal-lottery product.
So how does it operate if it's illegal?
In what Brazilian sociologists call 'tolerated illegality.' The game is prohibited but so embedded in daily life that enforcement has never produced a lasting effect. Occasional prosecutions target operators, not bettors.
How many animals are there?
Twenty-five. The traditional order is: 01 Ostrich, 02 Eagle, 03 Donkey, 04 Butterfly, 05 Dog, 06 Goat, 07 Ram, 08 Camel, 09 Snake, 10 Rabbit, 11 Horse, 12 Elephant, 13 Rooster, 14 Cat, 15 Alligator, 16 Lion, 17 Monkey, 18 Pig, 19 Peacock, 20 Turkey, 21 Bull, 22 Tiger, 23 Bear, 24 Deer, 25 Cow.
Where do the winning numbers come from?
Historically and still today, most operators draw their winning numbers from the Brazilian Federal Lottery (Loteria Federal, run by Caixa Econômica Federal), plus regional bank draws in Rio: PTM (09:20), PT (11:20), PTV (14:20), PTN (16:20) and Corujinha (21:30).
What is the Livro dos Sonhos (Dream Book)?
A folk tradition mapping dream symbols to animal groups. Dreaming of a snake means you should bet on Cobra (group 09). It's culturally similar to the Italian Smorfia napoletana or the Dominican dream-numerology.
Why do people bet based on dreams?
Because the Livro dos Sonhos is not a statistical tool — it's a folk-magical practice. Betting the animal your dream 'pointed to' is a way of ritually translating an internal experience into public action. The odds are the same as any other bet (1 in 25), but the meaning is different.
What does 'deu no poste' mean?
Literally 'it came out on the pole.' In pre-digital times, bookmakers posted the winning numbers on utility poles in the neighborhood, and 'deu no poste' meant 'the winning numbers are out.' The phrase survives in modern Brazilian slang meaning 'the result is in / the news broke.'
Who is Baron Drummond?
João Batista Viana Drummond (1825-1897), the Portuguese-Brazilian businessman who founded the Vila Isabel Zoo in Rio de Janeiro and, in 1892, launched the daily animal raffle from which jogo do bicho evolved.
How much can you win?
Traditional payouts: 18× stake for correctly guessing the animal (grupo), 60× for the last two digits (dezena), 600× for the last three (centena), up to 4,000× for the exact four-digit number (milhar seca).
Can I place a bet from outside Brazil?
Practically speaking, no — regulated operators (LOTEP Paraíba) require Brazilian identification, and unregulated operators are geographically local. This site is an educational reference. We do not accept or facilitate bets.
Is this site itself legal?
Yes. Writing about jogo do bicho — historically, culturally, journalistically — is fully legal. What is illegal is the operation of the game itself (article 58 of the 1941 misdemeanor law). This site is a cultural/editorial reference published from Brazil in Portuguese, English and Spanish.
Still have questions?
See the deeper explainers: What jogo do bicho is, history, cultural context, or the full legality explainer.