Extraordinary Christmas Lottery Draw: tradition, prizes and curiosities

Hello! We continue with the christmas items.

Today we are going to talk about a very characteristic tradition in Spain that happens at this time: the Extraordinary Christmas Raffle.

The Christmas Raffle is one of the oldest and most popular traditions in our country.

It is practically the first event that inaugurates the Christmas season.

Throughout this article we will see the origin of this tradition, how it works, what the main prizes are, how to check your tenths and other curiosities and frequently asked questions.

In addition to playing Christmas Lottery Draw, we encourage you to come to Hispania, Spanish school and learn the language with us.

You can do it in our face-to-face Spanish courses. 

We are in the fantastic city of Valencia, an ideal place to spend the Spanish Christmas.

If you prefer, you can also study Spanish remotely through our online Spanish courses.

Would you like to know all the details about this important Spanish tradition that is the christmas giveaway? 

Well let's start!

History of the Extraordinary Christmas Draw

To start, let's tell you a little about the History of the Christmas Lottery in Spain.

Its origin dates back to year 1812.

The Minister of Finance at the time, Ciriaco González Carvajal, decided to create a raffle to obtain public income and finance the country's needs. 

People could buy tickets in exchange for the chance to receive monetary prizes.

The first Christmas Lottery in Spain was celebrated in Cadiz.

was called «Modern Lottery», although years later it would become known as «Extraordinary Christmas Raffle».

The original idea was to do the draw for raise public money for the state coffers. 

At that time they were living in very unfavorable times due to War of Independence against the French.

The first prize he took it number 03604.

They were 8,000 reais for a person who had only invested 40 reais.

Evolution of the draw over the years

The Extraordinary Christmas Draw Lottery was inspired by the Primitive Lottery which already existed in Spain since 1763.

However, the draw would only take place once a year and the prize would be large amounts of money.

Since its first edition, the Christmas Giveaway has evolved in several aspects. 

The number of series and tickets has been increasing over time, as has the value of the prizes. 

The popularity of this raffle has become enormous throughout the country, so much so that it is known as the event that begins the Christmas in Spain.

To this day practically all Spaniards buy their ticket hoping to receive a big prize and become millionaires.

Since 1892, this draw has always been held on the same day every year: the December 22.

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How the Christmas Lottery works in Spain

The operation of the Christmas Raffle continues to have the same system as when it emerged in 1812. We'll tell you!

The traditional system

The traditional system is based on taking two balls of two drums. 

In the first drum there is numbers of the 00000 to 99999.

In the other hype are the awards. 

The numbers and prizes if extract at the same time, matching the prizes with the numbers drawn.

You can listen to the Extraordinary Christmas Draw live on the radio or watch it on television.

The media coverage It is total and all Spaniards are very expectant to know how the Christmas Lottery Draw and if their numbers receive the biggest prizes.

Who is in charge of taking out the balls with the numbers? That's the job of famous people. children of San Ildefonso.

The role of the children of San Ildefonso

Since the origin of the Christmas lottery in Spain, the children of San Ildefonso School sing the numbers.

It is a deep-rooted tradition in Spain and children are famous for their ability to sing the numbers in a clear and musical tone.

A early 19th century, the San Ildefonso school took in abandoned children. 

In addition, they were offered very characteristic training: fencing, drawing, shorthand or typing and, of course, music theory.

Students participate in the raffles as a service to the community for which the center receives public aid.

How the draws are carried out

The draw consists of 195 series, composed of85,000 bills each one. 

Each ticket is made up of ten tenths.

The tenth It's the ticket you have 5 numbers.

When is the Christmas Lottery in Spain

The draw is always held on December 22 year after year.

What is the start time of the Extraordinary Christmas Draw?

It usually starts at 9:00 in the morning and lasts around 3 hours.

Odds to win in the National Lottery Christmas Draw

We have to be honest, it is very difficult to win a big prize. Millions of people play.

The chances of winning the jackpot are very remote, from 1 in 100,000. 

That is, the percentage probability of winning is a 0.001%. 😅

While the chances of winning some small prize are 1 out of 6. 

Secondary and approach prizes are more frequent and their value changes depending on the serial number.

Price of tickets and tenths

How much does the Christmas Lottery cost in Spain?

The price of a full ticket is €200, while the price of a tenth is 20 euros. 

Each ticket is divided into ten tenths, so individual tenths can be purchased. 

The demand for tenths and tickets is very high, especially during the weeks prior to the draw.

Where to buy tickets for the Extraordinary Christmas Raffle

The tenths and banknotes Christmas Lottery Draw can be purchased directly at lottery administrations, or even online.

Many people decide to buy tickets in groups, for example as a family, or colleagues from the same company.

When purchasing the ticket, you can decide the number or select it at random.

It is important to ensure that the ticket is in good condition before the draw.

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Prizes from the Extraordinary Christmas Lottery Draw

The Christmas lottery It is one of the most important and popular raffles in Spain and distributes a large number of prizes.

In this year's 2023 Christmas Lottery, it is estimated that in total there are 2,380,000,000 euros destined for prizes.

Below, we detail the different prizes that can be achieved.

The maximum prize: El Gordo

The most anticipated and desired Christmas Lottery prize in Spain by all players is "The Fat One", which has a value of 4 million euros a ticket. 

This prize is distributed between 160 and 180 series, with 100,000 tickets each.

Secondary prizes and approximations

In addition to the first prize, there are other important awards such as second and third prize.

The second receives 1,250,000 euros per ticket. The third 500,000. 

There are also lower prizes for the approximations.

These are the numbers before and after the main prize.

La Pedrea and other minor prizes

La Pedrea It is a minor prize that is distributed around the Gordo.

It consists of 1,794 prizes of 1,000 euros for the tenth. 

In addition, there are other smaller prizes:

• The refund: returns the amount of the tenth.
• The completion prize: It is distributed to the tenths that end the same as the Gordo.

Results of the Extraordinary Christmas Draw: Official list of prizes 

Once the draw is finished, the official awards list which contains all the numbers that have received awards and the locations.

How to check the numbers of the Extraordinary Christmas Draw

Players can consult the winning numbers of the Christmas Lottery in Spain through different means:

• The lottery administrations.
• The official website of State Lotteries and Betting.
• Official search engine of winning numbers with the State Lottery and Betting app.
• The press and other media.

Remember that there is a deadline to collect prizes, which are usually three months later of the draw. 

It is also important to highlight that the minors cannot buy lottery and that the prizes are subject to the corresponding taxation.

Other draws from State Lotteries and Betting

State Lotteries and Betting offers a wide variety of draws throughout the year.

Many are done on days of celebration, such as Valentine's Day Giveaway, the Father's Day Giveaway or the Mother's Day Giveaway.

Another very popular raffle held at Christmas is The Children's Lottery.

It is celebrated on January 6, in the Three Kings Day. 

The total amount of prizes in this draw is less than in the National Lottery of the Extraordinary Christmas Draw.

Taxation of prizes in the Extraordinary Christmas Draw

In Spain, the prizes obtained in the Extraordinary Christmas Draw are subject to a special taxation which varies depending on the amount of the prize. 

In the case of prizes less than 2,500 euros It is not necessary to pay taxes, but for prizes greater than that amount, the taxation stands at 20%.

In addition, an additional tax of 20% will be applied from the 10,000 euros.

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Frequently asked questions about the Extraordinary Christmas Lottery Draw

Finally, we are going to synthesize some relevant information that we have discussed in the article in the form of frequently asked questions.

There are also other questions that we have not mentioned before and that are very useful.

What prizes can be won with each number?

Some numbers of Extraordinary Christmas Raffle They have different prizes associated with them depending on the number of tickets sold for that number.

The most notable award is The Fat Man, which corresponds to the first prize and which in the 2023 edition has a value of four million euros per ticket. 

You can also win smaller prizes, such as the second prize, the third prize, the approximations, the Pedrea and other minor prizes.

How are the prizes distributed if you have several tenths of the same number?

If you have several tenths with the same number and it wins, you will be able to collect all the prizes that correspond to the different tenths. 

You can charge up to a maximum of 20,000 euros in the same place.

Can minors buy lottery tickets?

No, the minors They cannot buy lottery in Spain. The minimum age to participate in games of chance is 18 years.

What is the deadline to collect the prizes?

The deadline to collect the prizes from the Extraordinary Christmas Lottery Draw is three months from the day after the draw.

After that period, the prize can no longer be collected.

How can I buy lottery if I am not in Spain?

Currently there is the possibility of buying the Christmas Draw lottery online through the State Lottery and Betting website.

Users can purchase tenths or bills from anywhere in the world, although they must take into account the shipping conditions and restrictions to your country of residence.

What happens if I lose my tenth?

If you lose your tenth or have lent it to someone and they do not return it to you, you will not be able to collect the prize in case your number turns out to be lucky. 

For this reason, it is important to preserve the tenths well and keep them in a safe place.

And we're done!

We hope that now you understand better What is the Extraordinary Christmas Lottery Draw in Spain?.

This tradition is very popular throughout the country and is practically the first event that leads to Christmas.

If you are going to be in Valencia and you want to participate, now you know how to do it.

And while you're at it, stop by Hispania, Spanish school and learn Spanish in the best school in the world. 🤗

Are you interested in playing the Christmas Lottery this year?

Is there such an important similar tradition in your country?

Comment and we chat

A hug!

Article written by Carlos Martinez for Hispania, Spanish school.

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