Merle and his family invested about $8,000 to print 5,000 decks of their new card game. They sold the first decks directly from the barbershop and to local customers. Word spread quickly — Uno’s simple rules, bright colours, and fast-paced gameplay made it a hit.

By the mid-1970s, Robbins sold the rights to a group of local businessmen led by Robert Tezak, who formed International Games, Inc. to market the game nationwide.

In 1992, Mattel purchased Uno, bringing it into the global spotlight. The game evolved into countless themed editions — from Uno Attack to Uno All Wild and collaborations with major pop-culture franchises.

Today, Uno is recognized in over 80 countries and played in dozens of languages. What started as one man’s family project is now one of the most popular card games in the world, uniting generations through the joy of colour, chaos, and a well-timed “Draw Four.”