Spain’s El Gordo: Your ultimate guide to the Christmas lottery

The Spanish Christmas Lottery, known far and wide as El Gordo, is one of the most iconic lottery draws on the planet. It has been part of Spanish life for more than two centuries, which means it has been disappointing hopefuls since long before Spain even had railways.

The first draw took place in 1812, using a system very similar to the one used today. Tickets were printed with five digit numbers and cost 40 reales, which works out at roughly €200 in modern money. The top prize was a rather generous 8,000 pesetas, the equivalent of about €4 million today.

El Gordo: What’s in a name?

It was not always called El Gordo (the Fat One). For decades it was simply part of the National Lottery. The name Christmas Draw became official in 1892, and by 1897 tickets were printed with the title Sorteo de Navidad (Christmas Lottery).

One of the more unusual chapters came during the Spanish Civil War. In 1938 both sides were determined to keep the draw going. So, Spain actually held two Christmas Lottery draws at the same time, one in Barcelona and the other in Burgos. It mattered because the lottery brought in around 3% of State income.

With the arrival of the euro in 2002, the prizes were paid in euros for the first time. In 2004 the draw broke its own record when the winning number appeared only 13 minutes after the start.

Ticket demand

Demand for tickets increased so much that in 2011 the number of available numbers rose from 85,000 to 100,000, allowing more sales and a bigger prize pot. As 70% of the money collected is returned in prizes, the more people play, the merrier it becomes.

Over the years plenty of fun statistics have popped up. For example, the endings 5 and 85 have turned up more often than others. Some full numbers have repeated across different decades, such as 15.640 in 1956 and 1978, and 20.297 in 1903 and 2006.

A few cities also seem to have the luck of the angels, including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Others, such as Ávila, Ceuta, Melilla, Tarragona and Zamora, are still waiting for the big moment. Hope springs eternal.

A national Christmas tradition

El Gordo is a yearly event held on 22 December, and pretty much the entire country tunes in from early morning. The live broadcast goes on for hours, accompanied by schoolchildren singing the winning numbers.

There are other special Spanish draws too, such as El Niño on 6 January, but nothing quite matches the size and the tradition of El Gordo.

Communities often buy tickets together, including whole neighbourhoods, workplaces and friendship groups. More than a few towns have had the joy of celebrating a collective win.

How to play El Gordo

Playing is very simple. You do not choose your own numbers. The Christmas Lottery works more like a raffle. Tickets are printed in advance with a set number, and each number appears across many tickets.

You can buy a full ticket or a décimo, which is one tenth of a full ticket. As a full ticket is rather pricey, most people buy a décimo or join a group so the cost is shared. If the number wins, everyone with that number shares the prize.

Some basic rules apply:

You must be 18 or older to take part
Any prize above €2,500 is taxed at 20%
The draw is held in Madrid under the organisation of the Spanish State Lottery
Prizes must be claimed within 90 days or they expire

Where can you get your El Gordo ticket?

Joining the El Gordo de Navidad draw on 22 December is easy, whether you are living in Spain or following the excitement from abroad.

You can take part by buying either:

a full ticket, known as a billete, which costs €200
or a décimo, which is one tenth of a full ticket and costs €20

A full billete can feel a bit heavy on the wallet, which is why many share.

Once you have your pre printed décimo or billete, you are officially in the draw. El Gordo uses a fixed amount of tickets, each printed with a five digit number. Every number is repeated across several series. For example, the 2024 draw had 193 series, each carrying its own set of prizes.

The top prize gives €4 million to the winning billete in each series, followed by 16 more prize levels for numbers that come close.

Playing Online

You can enter from anywhere in the world by buying a share online, which gives you a 1 in 100,000 chance of landing the top prize. The whole process takes only a couple of minutes.

Online steps:

Use your mobile or computer to visit the entry page
Decide how many shares you want by using the plus and minus buttons
If you do not like a number, tap the blue Shuffle button to see other pre printed options
Check the total price shown below
Press the orange Play button to finish

If you already have an online account you can log in using your email and password, or through Facebook if you prefer. If you are new, you can set up an account by entering an email address and choosing a password. After that you can deposit money and pay for your entries.

Once you have completed your purchase, you will receive a scanned copy of your ticket by email. Then it is simply a matter of waiting for 22 December and hoping fortune smiles on you. If you win anything, you will receive another email with the good news.

Buying from a Local Retailer

If you live in Spain, you can also buy your ticket in person. Lottery outlets across the country sell billetes and décimos, and they will hand over a physical copy when you pay. Store it somewhere safe. You will need the ticket if you are lucky enough to claim a prize.

How to boost your chances

There is no magic trick sadly. Buying more décimos increases your chances, and joining a group means you can afford more numbers between you. This is why syndicates and groups are so common.

Because the draw has so many prizes, winning something is surprisingly common. The list includes the big one, second prize, third prize, and a long list of smaller awards known collectively as La Pedrea.

Some of the prize categories include: