In 1887 French entrepreneur Don Clemente Jacques created the Lotera El Gallo,  the most traditional format of the game played today. This version includes 54 cards with a series of pictures and a random number of tablas  or boards. Each board has 16

four vertical and four horizontal.

The origin of lotera, sometimes called a Mexican bingo game, has been traced back hundreds of years. It began in Italy in the 15th century and was brought to Mexico, by way of Spain in the 1700s. It was originally a Spanish colonial card game of the upper-class, but eventually became a tradition at Mexican fairs.