el gordo

About the El Gordo Lottery

El Gordo, also known as the Spanish Christmas Lottery, is an annual draw by the Lotería Nacional. It happens every 22nd of December and is one of the biggest in the world. Each year, millions of tickets are sold, making it the most popular as well.

 

The El Gordo lottery numbers' announcement occurs in Madrid and is broadcast on Spanish and English speaking media. It's a tradition for those who attend the draw in person to dress up in clothes and hats that are lottery-related. Two large cages are used to hold the numbered balls. One cell has the ticket numbers, and the other holds the prize.

 

In addition to the El Gordo lottery results being announced, many smaller prizes are also given to players. Over 1700 balls are drawn for this, and tickets ending in specific numbers are refunded. Due to the number of tickets being rewarded, the chances of winning anything are much higher than other types of lotteries. 


The El Gordo lottery winners usually donate to the San Ildefonso school. The students participate by singing the result every year. The reason for giving the money is to help this institution for orphans of public servants. It's a lovely gesture that adds to the Christmas joy.

El Gordo Lottery FAQ

Multiple people can buy the winning ticket because the same number gets sold many times. Due to this system, there’s no single winner that can be identified.

Results of the El Gordo lottery are announced on several different channels. You can watch or listen to the draw on Televisión Española, Radio Nacional de España, and other media outlets.

All you have to do is buy from any officially licensed outlet that sells the tickets. Some people enter El Gordo by using a lottery app or website. Due to the high number of participants, the odds are currently 1:100,000.

It's quite simple to enter. You can buy your ticket online or from an authorized shop for €200. Those who can't pay that much, there's an option to get a one-tenth stub for €20, but that means you'll only get a tenth of the prize. 

 

All that's left to do is wait for the draw and see if your number wins. There are many prizes, so even if you don't get the grand prize, you might still receive something.

The lottery draw for El Gordo happens every year on the 22nd of December.

The grand prize drawing takes place during the ceremony. Once the numbers are announced, they're broadcast everywhere immediately.

Due to it being a different kind of lottery, El Gordo doesn't have a second chance draw. Thousands of prizes with different values are given to ticket holders that didn't win the jackpot.

There's no voucher, but players can buy a piece of a ticket for a portion of a prize if they win.

If you are playing from another country its best to use the El Gordo lottery ticket scanner to check or confirm your winnings.

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