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.

As Mexican culture spread across the border, so did the demand for the game within the United States. The original Don Clemente Gallo Loteria game can be purchased today not only in Mexico but also in the United States, and online all over the internet.

This classic Mexican game has

instead of numbers on the boards. Listen for the caller to sing out a riddle or name of an image and then place a token on your board if you have it. The first player to get 4 tokens in a row and call out "Lotera!" wins.