2025 Christmas Lottery Begins: €2.772M in Prizes, €400k El Gordo

The highly anticipated 2025 Christmas Lottery is here. This year, the draw will give out a total of 2.772 million euros in prizes, which winners can collect from the afternoon of the draw. The biggest prize, known as El Gordo (The Fat One), is 400,000 euros per ticket, though a portion goes to the Treasury. Smaller, more common prizes are 100 euros per ticket.

You can follow the 2025 Christmas Lottery draw live.

Every December 22nd, students from a particular school bring joy across the country by singing out the winners of both small and major Christmas Lottery prizes. This school, founded even before the Catholic Monarchs ruled, educates children from disadvantaged backgrounds and is the country's oldest non-religious school.

This tradition started for financial reasons. Historians say that in the 19th century, the school received 500 reales for the children's involvement, a substantial sum that helped support the children living there. It's also said that even before that, its students would sing the lottery results in the streets for donations.

Even with over half an hour until the draw begins, the Teatro Real (Royal Theater) is already buzzing with excitement for the big event. People are arriving at this famous Madrid theater dressed in all sorts of costumes, though most stick to classic Christmas themes. Excitement fills the auditorium.

The Christmas Lottery draw began in Cádiz during the War of Independence. On December 18, 1812, this city in Andalusia held the first draw. Tickets cost 40 reales, the top prize was 8,000 pesos, and the first 'Gordo' winning number was 03604.

On December 22nd, the Christmas Lottery will give out up to 2.772 million euros. The top prize, El Gordo, is four million euros per series, which means 400,000 euros per ticket. The second prize is 125,000 euros per ticket, and the third is 50,000 euros.

Among the around 500 people who waited for hours outside and have now entered the Teatro Real are familiar faces like 'Papa' (the Pope), the Bishop, and the legendary Manoli. In a few minutes, once the draw officials are in place, the number and prize balls will be mechanically moved from the hopper into the drum.

The Teatro Real opened its doors just before 8 AM for the big Christmas Lottery draw. It starts shortly after 9 AM and will give out 2.772 million euros in prizes, though everyone's attention will be on El Gordo, worth 4,000,000 euros per series, or 400,000 euros per ticket.

Dozens of people who have been queuing for days near the theater are now taking their seats. In half an hour, the committee officially starting the draw will be formed.