In Spain, lottery involvement is very commonplace and as is the nature of a lot of E U areas, lotto is a way of life. It is traditional for citizens to enter regularly and certainly “La Primitiva,” (Sometimes called – el gordo de la primitiva) the state organized contest is a major focus of attention twice a week.
When it comes to the granddaddy of them all, nonetheless, El Gordo – also famed as the Christmas “fat one” is too awesome to comprehend. It’s the most common lotto draw of the year by far and sees the commencement of the festive season in no uncertain terms. It’s said that King Carlos the third launched this contest way back in the eighteenth century, as he wished his subjects to have a better way of life.
This el gordo primitiva Christmas lotto draw is the largest in the world with a total prize payout somewhere near two billion Euros, with an enormous first jackpot prize that, because of the nature of the competition, is automatically shared amongst all various duplicate winning lotto tickets. So many people wish to take part in El Gordo lottery, that it is gauged to be as much as 97% of the total population, which the actual set of numbers is sold in multiples. You can buy a full ticket for 200 Euros as a “billette”, or a 10th of a ticket, otherwise known as “decimos.”
The El Gordo is very much different from every other lottery worldwide, as lots of participants of the gordo loteria do not bet for the rest of the year. Hence, it could be seen as a significant tradition, rather than just a lottery contest.
Custom is just about everything with the El Gordo lotto, as the lottery is administered in an identical way each and every year. Students at the San Ildefenso School always pick the numbers and the corresponding prizes; and sing the results to the public. Particular attention is paid to this extravaganza by the state radio and television; on the morning of December 22 each year at about three hours before the drawing itself takes place. There are a huge number of prizes and the drawing procedure is quite technical. Again, in keeping with tradition, winners often donate some of the money to the school children.
El Gordo lottery is particularly popular as there is a great chance of acquiring something. Don’t forget, that the actual event itself is famed as the Christmas lottery, unlike the El Gordo, as this is reserved for the actual 1st prize. The potential rewards are so high that it is common for individuals to unite together to boost their odds of winning. These El Gordo syndicate groups are another way of celebrating tradition at this joyous time of the year by gathering colleagues and acquaintances together.
El Gordo must not be mixed up with the weekly draw that is also run by the Spanish administration and otherwise best-known as La Primitiva or primitiva el gordo. The same title is often used to relate to both of them, though passionate Spaniards are fully aware of the difference between them. As is frequent in state lotto’s, winnings are tax-exempt.
