A quine is the traditional name for the nonprofit loto in southwestern France, Languedoc and French Catalonia. The game uses 90 numbered balls and 27-square cards (3 rows × 9 columns). The rules are identical to French loto: line, double line, full house.
The word “quine” comes from the Latin quini (“five each”), which during the Renaissance referred to a game of chance where you had to line up five numbers. Over the centuries, the practice evolved into today's game: 27-square cards, 90 balls drawn at random, and three stages — line, double line, full house.
Today, in the regions of southwestern France and French Catalonia, the term “quine” refers both to the game itself and to the first completed line by a player (“I have a quine!”). Elsewhere in France, it's called “loto”, “rifle” (Provence-Languedoc) or “poule au gibier” (Brittany, Normandy). Same game, different names.
No difference in rules. These four names refer to the same game with the same principles. It's purely a matter of regional usage.
Quine is played in three successive stages, usually on the same card.
A typical quine evening alternates several rounds (8 to 15 depending on duration), with prizes of increasing difficulty/value. Between each round, a 5-to-10-minute break lets players buy new cards or take a breather. See the detailed nonprofit loto rules for variants (ties, penalties, diagonal lines).
Running a quine takes about 4 to 6 weeks of preparation for an average-sized nonprofit. Here are the key steps, detailed in our complete guide on the nonprofit loto.
Mandatory at least one month before the date (Article L322-3 of the Code de la Sécurité Intérieure). The town hall provides a form to fill in, listing organizer, date, venue, prizes and entry fee.
Quine tradition favors local prizes: regional hamper, whole ham, regional wine, vouchers from village merchants. Reach out to local sponsors starting 2 months ahead.
Plan for 80 to 250 cards for a village quine. With BingoShow, generate your cards in a few minutes, each with a unique anti-fraud identifier.
A projector or smart TV is enough to display drawn numbers at large size. The BingoShow room display opens in any browser and is readable from 15 meters.
The caller draws numbers (manually with a cage or automatically via BingoShow). Players mark their cards. The first to shout “quine” presents their card for verification — which takes a second by scanning the unique number.
BingoShow is designed specifically for French nonprofits that organize quines, lotos and rifles. The publisher (Digital Truffle) is itself a French nonprofit (loi 1901), based in France, hosting data in France. Concretely, BingoShow saves you time on:
The Pro plan is at €9 / month (or a 30-day pass at €14 with no commitment), VAT not applicable. See all plans →
A quine is the traditional name for the nonprofit loto in southwestern France, Languedoc and French Catalonia. The game uses 90 numbered balls and 27-square cards (3 rows × 9 columns). Rules are identical to the French loto: the first player to complete a line shouts “quine”, two lines is “double quine”, and the full grid is the full house.
No difference in rules. Quine and loto refer to the same game: 90 balls drawn at random, 27 squares per card, prizes for one line, two lines or full house. Only the name changes by region — quine in the Southwest and Catalonia, rifle in Languedoc-Provence, poule (au gibier) in Brittany, and loto everywhere else.
The term comes from the Latin “quini” (five each), which during the Renaissance referred to a game where you had to line up five numbers. The practice evolved into today's 27-square game, but the name stuck in southwestern France and French Catalonia, especially in villages where nonprofit quines liven up the winter.
Four steps: (1) town hall declaration at least one month before the date, (2) find and organize the prizes (hamper, ham, bike, vouchers…), (3) print the numbered cards and prepare the display, (4) host the event with an automatic or manual draw. BingoShow handles card printing, the room display and winner verification.
Quine tradition favors local food prizes: regional hamper, whole ham, foie gras (Southwest), fruit basket, wine, vouchers at village merchants. The full house is often a main prize (bike, appliance, weekend trip). Nonprofits approach local sponsors: shops, farmers, restaurateurs.
Yes, a town hall declaration is mandatory at least one month before, per Article L322-3 of the Code de la Sécurité Intérieure. To be legal, the quine must (1) be run by a nonprofit, (2) have a restricted circle of participants, (3) offer prizes not redeemable in cash, (4) have a modest entry fee (usually < €20).
A village quine gathers on average 80 to 250 players with 1 to 5 cards each, so 150 to 800 cards in circulation. The biggest quines (Téléthon, village fête) can exceed 1,000 cards. With BingoShow, you generate up to 500 cards per session on the Pro plan, and unlimited on Premium.
Both. Traditional quines still use wooden or plastic balls in a manual cage. More and more, nonprofits switch to automatic computer draws: faster, fair, instant on-screen display. BingoShow offers both modes — manual entry of numbers drawn from the cage OR automatic random draw.
A 200-card quine at €5 per card generates about €1,000 in gross income. After costs (prizes, venue, printing), a well-run quine usually brings in between €500 and €3,000 for the nonprofit's budget. The largest quines (Téléthon, patronal festival) can reach €5,000-10,000 in profits.
Yes, BingoShow is specifically designed for French nonprofits organizing quines, lotos and rifles. The publisher is itself a French nonprofit (Digital Truffle), with VAT not applicable. The Pro plan at €9/month or 30-day pass at €14 with no commitment covers the vast majority of nonprofit needs.
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