Spain’s Christmas Lottery: What Is El Gordo and How Does It Work?

Every December, Spain goes lottery mad! You may have noticed queues outside lottery shops, tickets being sold in local bars and restaurants, and people eagerly discussing their lucky numbers. It’s all part of one of Spain’s best-loved Christmas traditions, El Gordo.

If you’re used to the UK National Lottery, the Spanish version can seem rather confusing. Why does everyone buy a ticket with the same number? How can an entire village win? And what exactly is a décimo?

Don’t worry, we’ll explain!

A Christmas Tradition Dating Back Over 200 Years

Spain’s Christmas Lottery, officially known as the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad, traces its roots back to 1812.

The draw takes place every year on 22 December, and it’s a major national event. People across Spain tune in to watch children from Madrid’s San Ildefonso school sing out the winning numbers and prizes, a tradition that makes the draw instantly recognisable.

The biggest prize is affectionately known as El Gordo, meaning “The Fat One”, although people often use the name for the Christmas Lottery itself. Because many tickets carry the same number, that top prize can be won by people all over the country.

How Does It Work?

Every ticket carries a single five-digit number, from 00000 to 99999. There are 100,000 possible numbers, and each one is printed many times.

A full ticket, known as a billete, costs €200. It’s divided into ten smaller tickets called décimos, each costing €20. Most people buy one or more décimos.

Here’s the important bit. Lots of people can buy exactly the same number. For the 2026 Christmas draw, each number is issued in 205 series, with ten décimos in each series. That means there are 2,050 décimos bearing each number.

If that number wins, each décimo holder wins the corresponding prize.

How Much Could You Win?

There are thousands of prizes, ranging from getting your money back to winning a life-changing sum. Here are the main prizes for a single €20 décimo in the 2026 Christmas Lottery, before Spanish tax.

Prize	Winnings per décimo
El Gordo (first prize)	€400,000
Second prize	€125,000
Third prize	€50,000
Fourth prize (2 winning numbers)	€20,000
Fifth prize (8 winning numbers)	€6,000

There are also plenty of smaller prizes, including La Pedrea, which awards €100 per décimo to 1,794 winning numbers.

You can also get your €20 back if your number ends in the same digit as El Gordo. This is called a reintegro.

Why Do Entire Villages Sometimes Win?

This is perhaps the most wonderful thing about the Spanish Christmas Lottery.

Imagine a small village where the local lottery shop sells hundreds of décimos bearing the same number. Residents, shopkeepers, friends and families all buy one. Then, on 22 December, that number wins El Gordo.

Suddenly, dozens or even hundreds of people in the same community are celebrating, with €400,000 before tax for every winning décimo. It’s why the television coverage often features neighbours hugging, dancing, crying and spraying cava everywhere.

What About Sharing Tickets?

Sharing lottery tickets is practically a national pastime. Families, friends and work colleagues often buy tickets together. You might also come across participaciones, smaller shares sold by bars, clubs, charities or community groups.

For example, you might pay €5 for a participación, giving you a share of any winnings. Check how much of that €5 is actually entered into the draw, as part of the price sometimes goes to the organisation as a donation.

If you’re sharing a décimo privately, it’s sensible to keep a photograph of the ticket and a written record of who owns each share. It could save a few arguments if your number comes up!

Does Hacienda Take a Share?

The first €40,000 of a prize on a full décimo is exempt from Spanish lottery tax. Hacienda takes 20% of the amount above €40,000.

So if your décimo wins the €400,000 El Gordo prize, you’ll receive €328,000 after Spanish lottery tax.

If you share a décimo, the €40,000 tax-free allowance is divided between the owners in proportion to their shares. You can read more in the Spanish Tax Agency’s guidance on lottery prizes.

Where Can You Buy a Ticket?

You’ll find Christmas Lottery tickets on sale at authorised lottery shops (administraciones de lotería) throughout Spain, often from as early as July. You can also buy décimos through the official Loterías y Apuestas del Estado website.

Some people have favourite numbers, perhaps birthdays or anniversaries. Others buy from shops or towns they consider lucky. You’ll even find people queuing for hours outside famous lottery shops. Every number has the same chance of winning El Gordo, wherever you buy it.

Watch Chris buy his Christmas Lottery ticket in Salou this summer.

How Do You Check Your Ticket?

Once the draw has finished on 22 December, you can check your number on the official Loterías y Apuestas del Estado website. It’s worth checking even if your number wasn’t called for one of the big prizes, as there are plenty of smaller ones.

For physical tickets, prizes under €2,000 can be collected from authorised lottery outlets. Prizes of €2,000 or more must be claimed through an authorised bank, where you’ll need to provide identification. See the official prize collection guide for details.

And don’t leave it too long. You have three months from the day after the draw to claim your prize.

More Than Just a Lottery

For many Spaniards, buying a Christmas Lottery ticket is simply part of the festive season, much like putting up the decorations or enjoying a plate of turrón.

The Christmas Lottery campaign sums it up with El mayor premio es compartirlo, meaning “The greatest prize is sharing it.” A décimo is often something you buy with friends, family or neighbours, and half the fun is waiting for the draw together.

Spain’s Christmas Lottery advert gives you a feel for that side of the tradition. The advert is in Spanish, and the video includes an explanation in English.

Watch the El Gordo Christmas advert with an English explanation.

So, if you’re spending Christmas in Spain this year, why not join in the tradition with a €20 décimo? You might just find yourself celebrating with the neighbours on 22 December.

¡Mucha suerte! Good luck!