New Netflix Series: How to Win the Lottery
The new Netflix series *How to Win the Lottery* draws inspiration from a 2012 lottery heist in Mexico. In that incident, lottery employees and contractors pre-recorded the drawing, then ran out to select the winning numbers live. Despite the arrest of those involved, it remains a bold strategy that fits well within the heist drama genre.
Opening Scene: A man walks into a closed restaurant, announcing to four people at a table, “Today is the day. It’s our day.”
Key Context: On January 22, 2012, viewers watch the Mexican lottery broadcast, specifically the “Melate” draw, featuring a staggering prize of 160 million pesos (about $8.5 million). The broadcast includes detailed shots of the lottery balls and machinery used to select them.
In a scene from three months prior, José Luis Conejera (played by Alberto Guerra) watches his daughter Karen (Jesusa Ochoa) win a go-kart race. A former rival, Mauricio Legorreta (Andres Almeida), suggests that she could be valuable on his racing team.
José Luis works for the Melate Lottery and attends a special raffle hosted by Lina (Majo Vargas) for its 30th anniversary. Tart (Christian Tappan), the executive director of the overseeing agency, is more focused on his political ambitions than on the lottery’s integrity and suggests José Luis get tickets for his wife’s favorite magician.
After learning from Mauricio that joining the racing team will cost 6 million pesos (about $325,000), José Luis sets out to find the money. His fiancée, Laura (Ana Brenda Contreras), warns him against getting his hopes up.
However, José Luis devises a plan to reallocate the lottery’s sponsorship funds toward women’s sports, specifically to support Karen’s racing career. Things take a turn when Tart terminates his contract amidst corruption accusations. As someone who is fond of numbers and statistics, José Luis resolves to rig the lottery in his favor.
Show Memory: *How to Win the Lottery* (originally titled *It’s Late*) is a heist drama about money theft. For more lottery-related stories, you might check out *Jerry and Marge Go Large*, featuring a couple who figures out how to win the lottery in Michigan.
Our Perspective: Even after the first episode, the details of the heist remain ambiguous. The pre-taping strategy seems straightforward, especially since key figures like José Luis, Lina, and production crew Mario (Gero Medina), Gilberto (Aldo Escalante), and Charlie (Luis Alberti) are directly involved. But that type of theft feels quite different from the standard notions of burglary.
There’s a bit of a muddle regarding how José Luis refers to “stealing the golden goose” during a moment of epiphany about his heist. While the idea of securing lottery funds to support his daughter’s racing is admirable, the political nuances involving the Pronosticos agency and the corrupt Tart were slightly confusing.
Yet, this may not detract too much from the viewing experience as we follow José Luis in his efforts to enact his plan while dodging repercussions. I mean, lottery scam heists aren’t exactly a common storyline, so it could be fun to see how it all plays out.
Featured Performance: Alberto Guerra portrays the role of José Luis convincingly, reflecting a man who has faced setbacks in racing yet is passionate about his daughter’s future.
Content Warning: The first episode contains no adult content.
Final Scene: A moment where José Luis wakes in bed and hatches the idea to manipulate the lottery.
Sleeper Star: Lola, played by Ana Brenda Contreras, isn’t the stereotypical spouse who obstructs the protagonist’s goals. In fact, she encourages him to confront those like the corrupt Tart, showing understanding when he sacrifices a VIP seat for her favorite magician for his boss.
Memorable Line: “I’m always used to dealing with rats,” says Katie (Paloma Petra), the lottery’s general counsel, as she explains her reasons for not pursuing charges against Tart.
Our Recommendation: Let’s stream *How to Win the Lottery*. While it follows familiar heist drama patterns, the uniqueness of the heist itself makes it a series worth watching.
