L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 10 L'Italo-Americano LIFE PEOPLE REVIEWS ADVICE TRADITIONS I n contemporary Ital- ian popular culture, few phenomena have entered the fabric of e v e r y d a y l i f e a s d e e p l y a s T o t o c a l c i o . Launched in 1946 by Massi- mo Della Pergola, a sports j o u r n a l i s t , a l o n g w i t h h i s colleagues Fabio Jegher and Geo Molo, this soccer bet- ting game quickly became a national pastime in a coun- try that was keen to find joy and communal engagement i n t h e p o s t - W o r l d W a r I I era. The idea was simple yet irresistible: predict the out- comes of soccer games to win substantial cash prizes. As Italy rebuilt itself, Toto- c a l c i o o f f e r e d m o r e t h a n entertainment—it became a social ritual that seized the nation's collective imagina- tion. How it worked Initially, Totocalcio was straightforward: players pre- dicted the outcomes of 12 football games (expanded to 13 in 1950) from the Italian Serie A and Serie B leagues. The results could be win (1), draw (X), or loss (2). To win the top prize, a player need- ed to correctly predict the results of all matches. Sec- ondary prizes were awarded for 12 correct predictions (and later for 11). Players would fill out a betting slip (la schedina) and submit it to authorized retailers: while the cost of a single column w a s m o d e s t , m a k i n g i t accessible to a broad audi- ence, winnings—determined b y t h e t o t a l p o o l o f b e t s , with a portion of the funds allocated to prizes and the r e s t t o s t a t e f u n d s a n d sports-related activities— could be quite conspicuous. Financial contributions and social impact Totocalcio became a sig- nificant contributor to Italy's economy and sports devel- o p m e n t . A p o r t i o n o f t h e revenue generated from bets was allocated to the state, funding public works and s o c i a l p r o g r a m s . A n o t h e r p a r t w a s i n v e s t e d i n t h e sports sector, supporting the construction and mainte - nance of sports facilities, financing youth programs, a n d p r o m o t i n g v a r i o u s sports activities across the country. T h e g a m e ' s p o p u l a r i t y also spurred the growth of a secondary market, including the printing and distribu- tion of betting slips, market- i n g m a t e r i a l s , a n d m e d i a coverage dedicated to ana- lyzing matches and predict- ing outcomes. Newspapers o f t e n f e a t u r e d d e d i c a t e d columns and pages for Toto- calcio, further embedding the game into Italian cul- ture. T h i s i s h o w T o t o c a l c i o b e c a m e a f i x t u r e i n t h e country's popular culture: it was a topic of discussion in b a r s , w o r k p l a c e s , a n d homes, with people of all ages participating in the rit- ual of filling out their bet- ting slips every week. The excitement of potentially w i n n i n g a l a r g e s u m o f money was a shared experi- e n c e , a n d m a n y I t a l i a n s h a v e f o n d m e m o r i e s o f gathering with family and friends to check the results on Sunday evenings. In its heyday, the appeal o f T o t o c a l c i o l a y i n i t s p r o m i s e o f t r a n s f o r m i n g ordinary people into mil- l i o n a i r e s o v e r n i g h t . T h e record jackpot occurred in 1993, when a single player w o n n e a r l y 5 b i l l i o n l i r e (about 2.5 million euros): it was this potential for life- c h a n g i n g w i n n i n g s t h a t f u e l e d i t s w i d e s p r e a d appeal. Totocalcio in Italian arts and media Totocalcio also made its way into Italian literature a n d m e d i a , w h e r e i t w a s often used as a plot device o r a s y m b o l o f h o p e a n d aspiration. Numerous nov- els, short stories, and arti- cles have featured charac- ters who dream of winning t h e T o t o c a l c i o j a c k p o t , reflecting the game's deep- rooted place in the Italian p s y c h e . N e w s p a p e r s a n d magazines dedicated exten- s i v e c o v e r a g e t o i t , t o o , while sports journalists and p u n d i t s w o u l d a n a l y z e upcoming matches, offering tips and predictions to help players make informed deci- s i o n s ( i f y o u r e m e m b e r M a u r i z i o M o s c a ' s 1 9 9 0 s ' pendolino to predict Serie A results, raise your hand). Italian cinema and televi- s i o n a l s o f r e q u e n t l y p o r - trayed Totocalcio, illustrat- ing its impact on society: for example, the 1976 film Feb- b r e d a c a v a l l o ( H o r s e Fever) features characters who are deeply involved in betting, including Totocal- cio, showing the game as an essential part of the Italian betting culture. TV shows and comedies used Totocal- cio as a backdrop for humor and drama, emphasizing its widespread appeal and inte- gration into everyday life. The game also left an indeli- ble mark on the Italian lan- g u a g e , w i t h p h r a s e s l i k e fare 13 ("to make 13," the equivalent of the English " h i t t i n g t h e j a c k p o t " ) becoming synonymous with achieving something signifi- cant and, at least in part, thanks to good luck. Decline in popularity Despite its early success, Totocalcio faced numerous challenges in the late 20th a n d e a r l y 2 1 s t c e n t u r i e s . T h e l i b e r a l i z a t i o n o f t h e g a m b l i n g m a r k e t i n I t a l y introduced a wide array of new betting options, both online and offline, including real-time sports betting, lot- teries, and casino games, which offered more dynam- ic and immediate forms of entertainment, and attract- ed a younger audience. This is why, in the early 2 1 s t c e n t u r y , T o t o c a l c i o underwent several modifi- c a t i o n s t o m a i n t a i n i t s a p p e a l , i n c l u d i n g a n increase in the number of matches to predict to 14, in 2003. Moreover, to adapt to t h e c h a n g i n g m a r k e t a n d c o m p e t i t i o n f r o m o t h e r forms of betting and lotter- i e s , t h e g a m e i n t r o d u c e d new prize tiers and varied betting options. Despite the changes, the core concept of T o t o c a l c i o r e m a i n e d unchanged: predicting foot- b a l l m a t c h o u t c o m e s . Unfortunately, these modi- fications were insufficient to reverse its decline: by the 2 0 1 0 s , p a r t i c i p a t i o n h a d significantly decreased, and the game struggled to main- tain its relevance in a rapid- ly changing market. I n 2 0 2 4 , T o t o c a l c i o ' s prominence is not what it u s e d t o b e , y e t i t i s s t i l l r e m e m b e r e d f o n d l y a n d nostalgically by many Ital- i a n s w h o g r e w u p w i t h a s c h e d i n a i n t h e i r h a n d s . Y o u c a n s t i l l p l a y i t , o f course also online, always u s i n g t h e c l a s s i c " 1 - X - 2 " selections. CHIARA D'ALESSIO The rise, rule, and end of an icon: Totocalcio A tabaccheria and a Totolcalcio sign in Venice (FC_Italy / Alamy Stock Photo) and, bottom left, a Totocalcio vignette

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