Lotera (Spanish word meaning "lottery") is a traditional game of chance, similar to bingo, and is played on a deck of cards instead of numbered ping pong balls.

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.

One bingo operator, by his own accounting, took home a year's profit ofR$834,603 from two halls. During the same 12 months, the charities who lent their names to the operation received aboutR$143,000 _ less than 10 percent of theR$1.48-million in revenue those bingo halls generated after prizes were paid out.

Based on other bingo halls in the north suburban area, running seven days per week, the annual net profit for the organization could potentially be $200,000 per year after all expenses. The net receipts are derived from approximately 75% bingo and 25% pull tab sales.