JogodoBicho

To save a zoo, a baron invented one of Rio de Janeiro's most popular games – and one classified as a misdemeanor offense. The animal game (jogo do bicho) was created to help the animals, but soon became one of the leading representatives of Rio's malandragem games. Even today, it's possible to spot bookies and animal-game stands on the city's busiest or most deserted corners. If in the old days what was written down was what counted, nowadays the game runners operate a machine similar to credit card machines.

Image description: The image is an old black-and-white engraving. In the center, there is a drawing of a sheep with a human face. Above it is written "OVELHA" in large, bold letters. On the left, there is a vertical column with the number "N°" and the text "ENTRADA NO JARDIM ZOOLOGICO". Below that, "UM MIL REIS" is written, also in large letters. The phrase "ESTA ENTRADA NÃO PODE SOFRER A MÍNIMA ALTERAÇÃO" is written at the bottom of the image.

In the late 19th century, João Batista Viana Drummond, the Baron of Drummond, bought a lot of land in the region of the neighborhoods we now know as Vila Isabel and Grajaú. His goal was to honor Princess Isabel by creating a new housing standard for the city: more modern, comfortable, and open to air circulation. The project included the construction of wider streets and avenues and left open the possibility of growth toward Méier and Engenho Novo.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph. In the center is a man with a beard and short hair. He is wearing a dark suit. The image is blurred and has a light background.

To boost the sale of the new lots, Drummond built the Zoológico de Vila Isabel in 1888, which soon became the city's big new attraction. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., streetcars arrived packed with visitors eager to see the animals kept in cages and enclosures up close. With the proclamation of the Republic the following year, the baron stopped receiving the subsidy given by Dom Pedro II for the park.

The biggest cost of the venture was maintaining the animals. To raise funds, Drummond created a lottery using numbers and animal names, counting on the carioca's propensity for betting. At its launch, newspapers reported the novelty with great fanfare, and euphoria took hold of Rio. “Yesterday the first drawing took place, with the prize falling to the ostrich, which paid out a hefty poule of 460$000,” said one of them. The animal game had been invented.

Image description: The image is a jogo do bicho card, arranged in four columns and five rows. The top displays the title "CONFIE NA SUA SORTE COMPROVE APOSTANDO" in colored letters. Below, each row shows an illustrated animal and its corresponding number, ranging from 01 to 90. The animals are shown in various colors, including shades of green, yellow, blue, red, and black.