Spain held its annual “El Gordo” Christmas lottery draw
The annual "El Gordo" Christmas lottery draw took place in Spain.
The “El Gordo” lottery (meaning "The Fat One") is considered one of the oldest and largest in the world. It has been held since 1812.
This year, the total prize fund amounted to €2.7 billion. The largest prize - €400,000 before taxes—was won by several ticket holders with the winning number 72480.
Traditionally, the “El Gordo” lottery draw takes place at the Royal Theatre in Madrid, where students from the San Ildefonso school sing out the winning ticket numbers.
The lottery is notable for the fact that tickets are divided into tenths, allowing a greater number of people to participate in the draw.
This event attracts the attention of millions of Spaniards who join with friends and family to purchase tickets. The “El Gordo” lottery not only provides entertainment but also supports various charitable organizations, making it an important part of Spanish culture.
The history of the “El Gordo” lottery began in 1812. The Christmas lottery draw is constantly being improved and has many special features. For example, boxwood, a shrub with very strong wood, is used to make the balls. All the balls have the same weight (3 grams), and the numbers are engraved by laser. The security surrounding the ceremony deserves a separate mention. The night before, the hall is sealed by key holders: three people are entrusted to lock three doors with three different keys. All the balls are checked one by one, and the counting is done publicly.
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