El Gordo — “the Fat One” — is the top prize of Spain’s Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad, the world’s biggest lottery by total prize money, drawn every December 22. A full winning number pays €4 million per series, which works out to €400,000 for each €20 décimo (the standard share most people buy). This guide explains exactly how El Gordo works: when and where it’s drawn, what you can win, how tickets are sold, and how much the taxman takes if you’re lucky.
Unlike a single-jackpot game, the Spanish Christmas Lottery spreads a vast prize pool across thousands of winning numbers — which is why it feels like the whole country wins something. It’s a national tradition as much as a lottery.
What Is El Gordo?
El Gordo is the first prize of the Spanish Christmas Lottery, run by the state operator Loterías y Apuestas del Estado. Numbers run from 00000 to 99999, and the same number is sold in multiple “series” across the country. Rather than one mega-winner, the draw hands out prizes at many levels, so a single popular number can spread millions across one town.
When and Where Is the Draw?
The draw takes place every year on December 22 at the Teatro Real in Madrid. It’s televised live for hours, and the winning numbers and prizes are famously sung by schoolchildren from the San Ildefonso school — a centuries-old ritual. You can confirm results on the official Loterías y Apuestas del Estado website the same morning.
How Much Can You Win?
The prize structure is generous and tiered. The figures below are per décimo (the €20 share):
| Prize | Per full number (series) | Per €20 décimo |
|---|---|---|
| El Gordo (1st) | €4,000,000 | €400,000 |
| 2nd prize | €1,250,000 | €125,000 |
| 3rd prize | €500,000 | €50,000 |
| 4th prizes (×2) | €200,000 | €20,000 |
| 5th prizes (×8) | €60,000 | €6,000 |
On top of those, thousands of smaller prizes (the pedrea) and the reintegro (your stake back if the last digit matches) mean a large share of tickets win something. (Prize amounts verified for the 2025 draw — they’re stable year to year; confirm for the current year before publishing.)
Tickets: Billete, Décimo and Participaciones
Spanish lottery terminology trips up newcomers, so here’s the breakdown:
- Billete — a full ticket for a number, costing €200.
- Décimo — one-tenth of a billete, costing €20. This is what most people buy, and it entitles you to one-tenth of that number’s prize.
- Participación — a smaller share of a décimo, often sold for a few euros by bars, clubs, and associations so groups can play together.
So when you hear El Gordo “pays €400,000,” that’s the prize for a single €20 décimo of the winning number.
How to Play
You buy from an official Administración de Lotería (the lottery shops you’ll see across Spain) or through the official online platform. A few quirks make the Spanish game unusual:
- The same number is sold in many places, so a number can be associated with a particular city or region.
- People often buy the same number every year, or pick one tied to a meaningful date.
- Groups commonly split a décimo via participaciones, which is why entire workplaces or villages sometimes win together.
If you’re comparing options, our guide to the best online lottery sites to use covers how online play works more broadly.
Taxes on El Gordo Winnings
Spanish lottery prizes are taxed, but only above a threshold. The first €40,000 of any prize is tax-free, and anything above that is taxed at a flat 20%.
For El Gordo, that means a €400,000 décimo is taxed like this: subtract the €40,000 exemption, apply 20% to the remaining €360,000 (€72,000 in tax), and you keep roughly €328,000. The tax is withheld automatically before you receive the money.
Conclusion
El Gordo is less a single jackpot than a national event: a €4-million top number, €20 décimos, prizes at every level, and a December 22 draw that stops the country. If you ever play, remember the décimo is your share, €40,000 of any prize is tax-free, and the rest is taxed at 20%. Whether or not you win, watching the San Ildefonso children sing the numbers is a tradition worth experiencing once. Curious how the world’s luckiest players fared? See our roundup of the most successful lottery winners ever.
For official details, check Loterías y Apuestas del Estado and this El Gordo explainer from idealista.
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