Wanna be real Spanish? Then, besides learning how to make a bocadillo,  you gotta buy some Spanish Christmas lottery. Now it’s the time. People have already got crazy about it!

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE… SPANISH CHRISTMAS LOTTERY

In Spain there’s a big tradition with this particular lottery: the Christmas one, called in Spanish “Lotería de Navidad” (Christmas = Navidad) or “El Gordo de Navidad” (the Christmas’s fat one).

The draw is on the 22nd of December. At this point (today is the 9th of December, 2013) people have:

* not bought a single ticket yet but they will shortly.

* bought one or two and will likely buy more.

* bought one or two and will not likely buy more (that’s me!)

* gone crazy and have bought more than five (or more than twenty, who knows).

There are always some exceptions, although I would say that the majority of people buy Spanish lottery at Christmas.

(Getting everything ready for the 2013 draw)

(The stage will look similar to this photo)

Truth be said. For the last years I have behaved, but I remember some Christmas ago buying between 5-7 tickets per draw. Do your math when I tell you how much it is per ticket ;-)

The very first draw was carried out on the 18th of December 1812, the same year the first Spanish Constitution was initially promulgated.

The goal was simple: to generate more profit for the country without ripping off the citizens.

(Checking out every single detail for the draw)

Since the Spanish Christmas lottery began, the draw has been performed by the “children of Saint Ildefonso” (Niños de San Ildefonso).

The school of Saint Ildefonso (one of the oldest schools in Madrid, late XV century) was an orphanage until Spain became a democratic country.

Many people in Spain dream of hearing those children telling their numbers. Wouldn’t you?   ALL RIGHT DAVID, LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKS

The draw is broadcasted live on the 22nd of December. It starts around 8:30am and goes on for several hours.

A lot of people watch it on TV or hear it on the radio.

The event is carried out in a big room with rows of seats occupied by people. At the end there is a stage with two rotating drums: the biggest contains balls with the five numbers, the other contains balls with prizes.

(Children of San Ildefonso)

One child picks up one ball of five numbers and “sings it”. The other child grabs a ball with prize and “sings it” as well.

In Spain we say that the children “sing” the numbers because they do it in a way it seems they are singing. Take a look to the following video. It is the moment when they sign the highest prize in the last draw on the 22nd of December, 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/watch?v=s-vQ5hLHnLA

It is 20€ per ticket. If you’re going to get one, just say in Spanish: “one décimo” (one tenth, I’ll explain why in a minute).

If there’s one ticket in particular that you like from the lot they’ll have, just point to it and say in Spanish: “ese” (that one) :-)

(This is the 2013 format. Just substitute the 5 balls on top for 5 numbers)

You may see places where they sell it at 23 Euros. The three extra Euros are usually a contribution to associations, charities or similar.

However, I’ve heard of some people in my hometown that sold Spanish Christmas lottery at 23 Euros and kept the 3 Euros.

What’s the point of keeping the 3 Euros? Nothing. But if they sold more than 100 tickets, then…

Traditionally there have been two ways to buy them:

* Official establishments (indoors and outdoors). They are almost everywhere all over Spain.

* Sellers walking around. You will see them in many places, especially in those with big concentrations of people. [/column]

(Official logo of the Spanish national lottery)

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It is possible to buy tickets on the Internet as well. I don’t recommend  this option unless you’re familiar with the website. It seems there were some frauds with fake websites in the past.

Honestly, I would be happy to know that you won the Spanish Christmas lottery because you bought a ticket after reading my article.

Let me explain the basics:

* Each ticket has five numbers: from 00,000 to 99,999.

* There are 85,000 balls (with the 5 numbers in each ball) inside the biggest rotating drum. The smallest one has 1,787 balls; each of them has a prize on it.

* Each ticket has 180 “billetes” (bills) and each “billete” consists of 10 tickets. This means there are 1,800 tickets available per number (in Spanish we say “number” but we mean “five numbers”).

[/column]

(That ball could be your number)

* The ticket is called “décimo” (tenth) because one is one tenth of one “billete” (ten tickets).

* The highest prize is called “El Gordo” (The Fat One), and it’s 4 million Euros per (billete).

* So, one ticket is 400,000 Euros, since it’s one tenth of the “billete”.

(Fingers crossed!)

 (Think of that ball in the right having your number)

You can get the money next day, on the 23rd of December.

Prizes less the 3,000 Euros can be obtained at any official establishment.

In case it’s more money (hopefully), then the ticket must be taken to any officially agreed bank, such as BBVA, Santander, CaixaBank, CECA, or even to a national Spanish lottery office.

I would personally take it to the official office. Somebody told me a while ago that banks charge you some fees to process the prize. So let’s not make them richer than they are.

(On the 22nd of December I might turn the TV on to see if you are celebrating like this people)

IMPORTANT: you have three months to get the money. After that, it will expire. If that happens, there’s no way you can claim the money.

That unclaimed money goes to the Spanish taxation department, and it seems they get a lot of money each year from non-claimed tickets. Don’t be one of them!

Finally, remember, prizes over 2,500 Euros have a 20% tax on. So, let’s say, if you win 10,000 Euros, 2,000 of them will automatically go to the taxation department accounts. The remaining 8,000 are completely yours.

(An example of the 2014 "Child's Lottery". The original ticket will have five numbers instead of those 5 balls)

Image credit: la verdad, abc, te interesa, abc, cadena ser, te interesa, que, el mundo, abc

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