Nearly 2.7 billion euros to be won in the “El Gordo” draw, the traditional Christmas lottery

Forget decorating the tree, turkey or hanging stockings on the fireplace. The true Christmas tradition in Spain is “El Gordo”, the Christmas lottery drawn every December 22 since 1892. In 2017, around 76% of Spanish adults participated. It must be said that with a jackpot of 2.7 billion euros to be distributed, or 112 million more than last year, the lottery promises a great gift under the tree.

Like every year, television will broadcast live the draw of the 212th edition of “El Gordo”, the oldest lottery in the world, recounts the Parisian. However, the draw is much more complicated than the combination of numbers to find, like the Loto in France. The system is in fact closer to the raffle, with the amount involved being distributed among several winners.

Play together, win together

Clearly, Spaniards buy tickets issued by the Spanish national lottery, equivalent to the FDJ. In total, 193 series of 100,000 tickets are put into play. Each series is “sold” for 20 million euros, or 200 euros per ticket. Expensive, but a “decimos” system allows you to buy a tenth of a ticket for 20 euros and split the winnings if the ticket number is drawn.

A formula which is an integral part of the custom. Within families, groups of friends, even in the company or football clubs, we come together on the same ticket to win together. Establishments selling tickets (bars, restaurants, etc.) buy tickets of the same number to resell them to all their customers. Ticket sales begin in July and end on December 21.

Finally comes the draw, which lasts four hours, at the Royal Theater in Madrid. The children of the royal boarding school of San Ildefonso in Madrid “sing” every year the numbers written on the 100,000 balls that come out of the “bombo”. When a ticket wins the “Gordo”, the sum awarded is 4 million euros. A player who paid a tenth thus wins 400,000 euros. The second prize is set at 125,000, the third prize at 50,000 euros for the tenth. A fourth and fifth prize precede the “Pedrea”, “small prize”, awarded to 1,794 numbers which win 100 euros per tenth.