Lotería Loca is an American television game show based on the Mexican game of chance Lotería. The show is hosted by Jaime Camil, with Sheila E. serving as co-host and band leader.[1][2] The show aired from October 2, 2023 until December 24, 2023 on CBS. Lotería Loca was removed from the schedule after airing 6 episodes, leaving 5 episodes unaired.

Lotería Loca
GenreGame show
Created by
  • Jeff Apploff
  • Aaron Solomon
  • Alejandro Trevino
Directed byDiccon Ramsay
Presented by
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
  • Jaime Camil
  • Jeff Apploff
  • Aaron Solomon
  • Alejandro Trevino
  • Mike Darnell
  • Dan Sacks
  • Bridgette Theriault
Production locationsMadrid, Spain
EditorTimothy Schultz
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseOctober 2 (2023-10-02) –
December 24, 2023 (2023-12-24)

Each episode features two contestants attempting to match symbols found on their Lotería tablero. The first player to complete two lines on their tablero advances to the final round in an attempt to win $1,000,000.

Gameplay

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Mano a Mano

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Each contestant is given their own Lotería tablero consisting of nine cards arranged in a 3-by-3 grid. Starting with the winner of a backstage coin toss, contestants alternate selecting one square at a time from a board of 15. Hidden behind each number is a different Lotería card with a dollar value ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 in $500 increments, and every card appears on one or both tableros. If the selected card is on only one contestant's tablero, it is marked off and that contestant banks the money associated with it. If a card appearing on both tableros is uncovered, both contestants mark it off but the money goes only to the contestant who selected it.

Hidden behind several squares are “Loca Challenges,” minigames that range from physical stunts to musical performances. The challenge is presented in three parts, awarding $2,500 for completing one part, $5,000 for two, or $10,000 for all three. Once the challenge is completed, the card behind it is revealed and marked/scored as above.

A contestant earns a Lotería and a $10,000 bonus for completing a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line of three cards. The first contestant to earn two Loterías wins the game and takes their winnings to the bonus round. If a contestant earns multiple Loterías in one turn, they receive $10,000 for each one and immediately win the game.

Million Dollar Lotería

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The champion is given a new tablero, consisting of 16 cards in a 4-by-4 grid, and faces a board of 20 numbered squares.

As in the main game, the champion selects one square at a time. Behind 16 of the squares are Lotería cards, all of which can be found on the tablero. The dollar values hidden behind the cards now range from $2,000 to $10,000. Loca Challenges are still hidden on the board, now consisting of five parts; the contestant earns $2,000 for each of the first four parts completed, or $20,000 for all five.

Four skull cards are also hidden on the board; each time the champion uncovers one, their bank is cut in half. Finding all four skulls ends the game immediately and forfeits the entire bank. If three skulls are found, the champion is offered a chance to end the game at that point and keep half their remaining winnings.

The champion must mark off a line of four cards in order to earn a Lotería, which awards a $25,000 bonus. Earning a Lotería also gives the champion the chance to either end the game and keep all winnings, or continue to play. In the latter case, they must continue to choose numbers until either earning another Lotería or uncovering three skulls (or the fourth one, if the contestant has already found three).

Marking off all 16 cards on the tablero increases the champion's winnings to $1,000,000.

Production

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On May 4, 2023, it was announced that CBS had ordered the series.[3][4] On August 3, 2023, it was announced that the series would premiere on October 2, 2023.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Amid low viewership (never receiving a household rating above 0.2, and the October 30 episode having a series-low of 1.1 million viewers), CBS pulled Loteria Loca from its schedule on October 31, 2023, filling its remaining timeslots with NCIS encores and Let's Make a Deal primetime specials. Besides a holiday-themed episode airing on December 24, 2023, CBS has stated that the 5 episodes remain unaired.[11]

Episodes

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No.Title [12][13]Original air date [12][13]Prod.
code [12]
U.S. viewers
(millions)
Rating
(18-49)
1"Series Premiere"October 2, 2023 (2023-10-02)1011.75[14]0.2[14]
2"A Million Dollars Is In The Cards"October 9, 2023 (2023-10-09)1061.62[15]0.2[15]
3"¡Más Dinero!"October 16, 2023 (2023-10-16)1071.31[16]0.1[16]
4"A Loteria Salute to Teachers"October 23, 2023 (2023-10-23)1081.39[17]0.2[17]
5"Día de los Muertos"October 30, 2023 (2023-10-30)1041.05[18]0.1[18]
6"Happy Holidays"December 24, 2023 (2023-12-24)1120.87[19]0.1[19]
7"A Night of Heroes"Unaired105TBDTBA
8"Battle of the Ages"Unaired109TBDTBA
9"What a Bunch of Bologna"Unaired102TBDTBA
10"Million Dollar Goooooooooooooooollll"Unaired103TBDTBA
11"Battle of the High Rollers"Unaired110TBDTBA

Reception

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Critical response

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Andy Dehnart felt that while Lotería Loca was "lively and vibrant in a way few American game shows are", he felt that the format itself was shallow due to being almost entirely based on luck, and felt that the Loca Challenges needed to provide more benefits to the player and have more variety.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Gómez, Shirley (September 27, 2023). "Exclusive: Jaime Camil's Lotería Loca — first trailer and preview of cards". ¡Hola!. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  2. ^ Villafañe, Veronica (September 29, 2023). "Jaime Camil Debuts As Host Of CBS Primetime Game Show Lotería Loca". Forbes. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  3. ^ "CBS Announces Series Order for the New Game Show "Loteria Loca," Hosted and Executive Produced by Jaime Camil" (Press release). CBS. May 4, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023 – via The Futon Critic.
  4. ^ White, Peter (May 4, 2023). "Jaime Camil To Host Mexican Bingo-Style Game Show Lotería Loca For CBS From Jeff Apploff & Warner Bros". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "CBS Announces Fall 2023 Programming" (Press release). CBS. July 17, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023 – via The Futon Critic.
  6. ^ White, Peter (July 17, 2023). "Yellowstone To Air On CBS' Reworked Fall Schedule Alongside Paramount+'s SEAL Team, BBC's Ghosts & Reality-Heavy Slate". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "CBS Announces Primetime Programming Premiere Dates for Fall 2023" (Press release). CBS. August 3, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023 – via The Futon Critic.
  8. ^ Petski, Denise (August 3, 2023). "CBS Sets Fall Premiere Dates For Yellowstone, SEAL Team, Ghosts UK & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  9. ^ "CBS Program Advisory - "Buddy Games" and "NCIS: Sydney"" (Press release). CBS. September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023 – via The Futon Critic.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 21, 2023). "NCIS: Sydney Gets Mothership Series' Longtime Tuesday Slot In CBS Scheduling Changes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  11. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (November 1, 2023). "CBS Pulls Lotería Loca From Schedule — Here's What's Replacing It". TVLine. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c "LOTERÍA LOCA (CBS)". The Futon Critic. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Lotería Loca Season 1 Episode Guide". Zap2it. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (October 3, 2023). "Monday Ratings: CBS Debuted Game Show Loteria Loca". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (October 10, 2023). "Monday Ratings: The Irrational on NBC Remains a Decent Draw in Total Viewers in Week Three". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (October 17, 2023). "Monday Ratings: ABC and ESPN's NFL 'Monday Night Football' and MLB's NLCS Game 1 on TBS and truTV Dominate in Prime Time Key Demos". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (October 24, 2023). "Monday Ratings: Fox and FS1 Earn Decent Numbers with Game 7 of MLB's ALCS Despite Opposite the NFL". Programming Insider. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (October 31, 2023). "Monday Ratings: NFL 'Monday Night Football' on ABC and ESPN Unsurprisingly Tops MLB World Series Game Three on Fox". Programming Insider. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  19. ^ a b "TV Ratings for Sunday 24th December 2023 - Network Prelims, Finals and Select Cable Numbers Posted". Spoiler TV. December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  20. ^ Dehnart, Andy (October 3, 2023). "Lotería Loca has so much radiant vitality, so little game". Reality Blurred. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
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