In contemporary Italian popular culture, few phenomena have entered the fabric of everyday life as deeply as Totocalcio. Launched in 1946 by Massimo Della Pergola, a sports journalist, along with his colleagues Fabio Jegher and Geo Molo, this soccer betting game quickly became a national pastime in a country that was keen to find joy and communal engagement in the post-World War II era.

The idea was simple yet irresistible: predict the outcomes of soccer games to win substantial cash prizes. As Italy rebuilt itself, Totocalcio offered more than entertainment—it became a social ritual that seized the nation’s collective imagination.