Over Half Canary Island Towns Still Await 'El Gordo'
Spain's cherished Christmas Lottery "El Gordo" has been unevenly distributed across the Canary Islands for over two centuries, leaving many towns and two islands still awaiting their first top prize.
Spain's Christmas Lottery, one of the country's most cherished and oldest traditions, has been bringing hope since 1812. However, more than two centuries later, luck hasn't been spread equally. In the Canary Islands, for instance, the top prize – famously known as 'El Gordo' (The Fat One) – has only reached 35 of the Archipelago's 88 local areas, according to official figures from State Lotteries and Betting (LAE).
Despite Tenerife being one of the islands that has won the top prize most often in the region, many towns there have never celebrated 'El Gordo' on December 22nd.
While Tenerife has received 'El Gordo' several times throughout history, the wins haven't been distributed evenly. In fact, 17 towns on Tenerife are still waiting for their first Christmas Lottery top prize.
Here are the towns in Tenerife where 'El Gordo' has never been won:
This contrasts with other parts of the island where the Lottery has regularly given out prizes, especially in specific areas that have become famous for their history of winning numbers.
Overall, 'El Gordo' has landed in the Canary Islands 12 times. However, not all islands have been equally lucky. La Gomera and La Graciosa are the only islands in the Archipelago that have never won the first prize.
El Hierro has a unique story: it was the island that waited the longest to celebrate 'El Gordo'. That finally happened last year, when the prize reached Valverde.
Despite these wins, more than half of all towns in the Canary Islands are still waiting for the top prize. This situation repeats year after year, fueling tradition, excitement, and statistics.
In addition to the towns in Tenerife, these are the places in the rest of the Canary Islands that have never celebrated 'El Gordo':
The special Christmas Lottery Draw, organized by State Lotteries and Betting, takes place every December 22nd and distributes billions of euros in prizes. Beyond the numbers, the tradition remains strong in every corner of the country, including those who are still hoping for their big day.