The History of the NLCB Play Whe

The National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) game known as Play Whe, was introduced in Trinidad and Tobago by Chinese immigrants in the mid-nineteenth (19th) century. The Chinese called the game “Chinapoo”. It was a numbers game played by people who were influenced by intuition, superstition, dreams and caprice.

The “Chinapoo” or “China-man jumbie” is the basis of the original Play Whe marks.

The China-man Jumbie or Chinapoo on the Play Whe Chart

The body is divided into thirty-six (36) sections, each representing a spirit number or mark partner. Play Whe was developed from the Chinese ancient belief system that uses numerology, astrology, and the associations of ideas with numbers, events or even folklore to interpret and to anticipate the “grand plan”. Thus a person’s dreams or visions may be interpreted to know which mark should be played at what time.

Play Whe is based on the original Chinapoo game but it has been modified to include much of Trinidad and Tobago’s culture, adding words such as “Jamette”, “Crapaud” and “Corbeau”.

Previously known to Trinbagonians as “Whe Whe”, Play Whe is now one of the country’s most played lottery games with Play Whe draws occurring every day at 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM.