El Gordo: Spain’s Christmas Lottery – Tradition, Sharing and Hope
Every year on 22 December, Spain holds its most legendary lottery: the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad, more widely known as El Gordo (literally “The Fat One”).
This draw is not just about prizes — it’s a national celebration of community, hope and shared joy.
A deep-rooted tradition
The Christmas Lottery has been held since 1812, making it one of the oldest continually running lotteries in the world.
Every year from July onward, tickets (known as décimos) go on sale — usually priced at €20 for a tenth portion of a full ticket.
Because each full ticket number may be repeated in many “series”, many people often buy just a tenth, share with friends or clubs, or buy part-tickets — adding to the sense of shared experience.
What makes it special
- The atmosphere on draw day is unique: the famous children of the Colegio de San Ildefonso sing out the numbers and prizes from the lottery cages, a ritual watched by families on television across Spain.
- The odds of winning something in this draw are much higher than in many other lotteries: approximately 1 in 6.5 tickets wins a prize.
- Yet despite this, winning the top prize (El Gordo) is still very rare — it stands at about 1 in 100,000 for each number.
- The social element is strong: families, offices, sporting clubs and neighbourhood groups often pool together to buy tickets, reflecting the tradition of sharing rather than just individual gain.
? How much can you win with El Gordo?
El Gordo is famous not just for its history — but for the enormous amount of money it distributes every year. In fact, it is considered the lottery that pays out the largest total prize amount in the world.
Here’s what you can win:
? The First Prize — “El Gordo”
- €4,000,000 per full ticket (billete)
- €400,000 per décimo (the €20 ticket most people buy)
Because almost everyone buys décimos instead of full tickets, the typical life-changing prize is €400,000 per person — and people often share tickets with friends, neighbours, or co-workers, so whole communities celebrate together.
? Second Prize
- €1,250,000 per full ticket
- €125,000 per décimo
? Third Prize
- €500,000 per full ticket
- €50,000 per décimo
On top of that, thousands of smaller prizes are distributed, making the odds of winning something much higher than in most lotteries.
? Why is it the biggest lottery in the world?
Because the Christmas Lottery distributes more than €2.5 billion in prizes every year.
No other lottery globally pays out such a large total amount.
The draw isn’t about one huge jackpot — it’s about spreading joy across the country. Entire villages have celebrated together after their shared number won El Gordo.
Why it matters for those living in Spain
For anyone residing or looking to move to Spain — whether on the Costa Blanca, the Vega Baja or anywhere else — the Christmas Lottery is more than just a gamble.
It is cultural: a moment when the country collectively pauses, hopes and shares; a moment when the local cafés fill with anticipation, when numbers are compared over coffee, when even small winnings are celebrated together.
For expats, it offers a window into Spanish social culture: how traditions continue, how communities share, how joy doesn’t come only in big amounts but in small, collective experiences.
Bringing it all together
On 22 December each year, you’re not just buying a ticket — you’re buying into a piece of Spain’s heart.
Whether you win or not, you take part in something bigger: tradition, community, and that magical feeling before Christmas truly begins.
At Casas Connect, we believe that finding your home in Spain also means discovering the traditions that make this country so special — because a home isn’t just walls, it’s connection. ?
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