Sisal Historical Archive and Museum
This is the story of a dream that took shape during one of the darkest periods in history, the Second World War, and came true with the birth of Sisal in the post-war period.
By Museimpresa
Sisal Historical Archive and Museum
The dreamer was Massimo Della Pergola
A sports journalist who found refuge in Switzerland to escape racial persecution and began to imagine a project for the post-war period during his period of internment in the Pont de la Morge labour camp: To support the recovery of Italian sport.
SISAL - Totocalcio Betting Slip no. 3, 1946 (1946) by SisalMuseimpresa
Revolutionary simplicity
His idea was as simple as it was revolutionary: A small piece of paper, the betting slip, and three symbols – 1X2 – that would give life to Totocalcio, football pools based on predicting the outcome of football matches.
Three men and a project to carry out
The idea came to life on 3 September 1945, when Massimo Della Pergola and partners Fabio Jegher and Geo Molo founded Sisal. The first Totocalcio competition was launched a few months later, when the football championship was already underway.
It was 5 May 1946.
SISAL - Totocalcio Betting Slip no. 34, 1947 (1947) by SisalMuseimpresa
The betting slip
Participating was simple: You filled out the betting slip with predictions for the Sunday matches, paying 30 lire - the price of a drink! - and waited for the results.
SISAL - Sport Italia newspaper – no. 2, 8 May 1946, page 1 (1946) by SisalMuseimpresa
Twelve
To win, you had to guess the outcome of 12 matches.
There was also an additional prize category for those who guessed 11 correct results.
Growth
In addition to supporting the growth of Sisal, the collection of bets throughout the country made it possible to generate significant funds to be allocated for the reconstruction of Italian sport and its infrastructure.
A dream comes true
Bars, restaurants, laundries and barbers became places where you could purchase the betting slip and enter the pools. Thus, the betting points of sale were born!
“A dream that would revolutionize the fate of Italian sport and the habits of Italians came true and became a reality” said Massimo Della Pergola.
Official newspaper of the competition
Sisal launched Sport Italia, a weekly publication printed on yellow paper to set it apart from other sports newspapers. Its four pages featured not only the winning bets for Sunday, but also articles by famous sports journalists, including Massimo Della Pergola.
SISAL - Checking the slips in Bologna (1946)Museimpresa
Checking the betting slips
Between Sunday evening and Monday morning, thousands of people took part in checking the betting slips as “scrutineers”. An army of auxiliaries - students, unemployed people, pensioners and war veterans - who thus found an opportunity to supplement their income in the difficult post-war period.
Totip is born
On 7 July 1948, Totocalcio was nationalized and Sisal no longer managed it. However, the 1X2 formula and the betting slip remained a winning recipe that was used for a new game based on horse racing predictions.
SISAL - Point of sale of the day, Novara (1971)Museimpresa
Totip and horse racing
Thanks to Totip, the world of horse racing, previously reserved for the more affluent, became much more popular in Italy.
Through a well-organized distribution network and effective communication, betting was made accessible to a much wider audience.
SISAL - Totip poster, jockey on horseback, 3 categories of winners (1953) by Carlo Dinelli, graphic designer and illustratorMuseimpresa
Carlo Dinelli and Sisal
With the contribution of artist and graphic designer Carlo Dinelli, a communication plan was drafted with posters and billboards to promote the new game in points of sale.
Totip and Sport Italia
While maintaining a multi-sports character, the weekly newspaper Sport Italia began to allot more space to horse racing.
SISAL - Boxer Francesco Damiani by Fotocronache OlympiaMuseimpresa
Popularity
Over the years, Totip promoted and supported various sports, including boxing and rallying. The name of the game became so popular that it almost completely replaced Sisal in the collective imagination.
SISAL - Drivers Miki Biasion and Tiziano Siviero, Sanremo Rally (1983)Museimpresa
First television commercials
Funny advertising campaigns were also created. Among these, a series of commercials in which a group of friars, led by Fra’ Simone, entered the pools was particularly successful.
SISAL - Sketch of SanremoTotip, play Totip and vote for Sanremo betting slips (1983) by P.T. NeedhamMuseimpresa
Totip and the Sanremo Festival
Totip even arrived at the Sanremo Festival. In the 1980s, viewers could vote for their favourite singers using the betting slip. Thanks to Sisal’s distribution network and scrutineers, votes were collected and verified throughout Italy quickly and accurately.
SISAL - Totip Green Horse Poster (1988-1989) by Grafiche Alma S.p.A.Museimpresa
This story
This is the story of a dream that came true thanks to determination, creativity and passion for sport, a story that has marked the Italian sporting and cultural landscape.
For further information:
corporate.heritage@sisal.it
