MADRID, Dec 22 (Reuters) – With cheers, hugs and glowing wine, fortunate winners throughout Spain on Thursday celebrated clinching a share of the prize cash within the centuries-old Christmas lottery that marks the start of the nation’s festive season.
The highest prize, often known as “El Gordo” (The Fats One), rewarded many winners throughout a number of areas, as the identical quantity was bought a number of instances. This 12 months, the entire prize pot reached 2.52 billion euros ($2.68 billion), barely greater than final 12 months’s 2.41 billion.
In a nationally televised draw at Madrid’s Teatro Actual, younger pupils from the San Ildefonso college picked the profitable numbers from two revolving orbs after which sang them out to an viewers clad in Santa hats and different festive clothes.
As Spain, like different European international locations, faces a cost-of-living disaster and stagnating wages, the Christmas lottery draw has taken on added significance.
Commotion erupted within the theatre when Perla, a Peruvian-born unemployed mom of two sitting within the theatre, realised she had a profitable El Gordo quantity in her hand.
[1/5] Folks have a good time profitable numbers in Spain’s Christmas lottery “El Gordo” (The Fats One), in Madrid, Spain December 22, 2022. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
She advised reporters she would spend the proceeds – 400,000 euros earlier than taxes – on a brand new home, educating her youngsters and a donation to the Catholic Church.
The lottery custom dates again to 1812, when Spain was beneath French occupation through the Napoleonic Wars and the draw was designed to lift funds to struggle.
Within the months main as much as Dec. 22, it is not uncommon for family, co-workers, teams of associates and members of golf equipment to pool their cash to purchase tickets collectively, usually favouring numbers based mostly on private superstition.
Spaniards spend a median of 66.6 euros on El Gordo tickets, in accordance with distributors’ affiliation Anapal. The most effective-selling ticket, dubbed “decimo” (tenth), prices 20 euros and its holders can earn 10% of the prize cash awarded.
($1 = 0.9421 euros)
Reporting by David Latona; Modifying by Andrei Khalip and Barbara Lewis
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