El Gordo did it again: How Spain celebrated the 2025 Christmas lottery

December 22nd in Spain is more than just a date on the calendar. It's a day when the country comes to a standstill, televisions play in the background in bars and offices, and millions of people listen to children's voices chant the cherished numbers. On this day, the 2025 Navidad Loteria Extraordinario, the year's biggest draw, better known as the legendary "El Gordo," took place.

And this year, luck was on its side once again—El Gordo found its winner. The 2025 Christmas Lottery's Main Prizes

According to the official prize list published by the organizer, the state-owned Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, the following main prizes were awarded this year:

• First Prize ("El Gordo"): number 79.432 – €400,000 per decimal

• Second Prize: €70.048 – €125,000 per decimal

• Third Prize: €90.693 – €50,000 per decimal

Slightly less sensational, but still extremely satisfying, wins were also not long in coming.

Fourth prizes (20,000 euros per décimo): 78,477 and 25,508

Fifth prizes (6,000 euros per décimo): 23,112, 60,649, 77,715, 61,366, 25,412, 94,273, 41,716, 18,669

As every year, the winnings were scattered across the country, confirming the main principle of this lottery: it's not just individuals who win, but entire families, offices, bars, and even apartment buildings.

Why everyone's talking about décimos? In Spain, people rarely buy a "whole ticket." They often buy décimos—a tenth. That's why winnings are counted "per décimo," and the joy is always shared: one number means many happy people. Sometimes, a lot.

A little history: a lottery that's over 200 years old. The Christmas lottery has been held since 1812 and is considered one of the oldest in the world. During this time, it has survived wars, crises, and changing eras—and never lost its core value: the sense of celebration.

An enduring tradition is the children from the San Ildefonso school singing the numbers and prize amounts. For Spaniards, their voices are the official sound of the beginning of Christmas.

Curiosities without which "El Gordo" wouldn't be "El Gordo." Over the years, a whole collection of stories has accumulated that Spaniards retell every December.

• In one past drawing, an entire bar won a large prize because the owner habitually sold the same number to all his regulars. The bar closed early that day—"for a good reason."

• Winners often buy a décimo "for company," to avoid offending a colleague. This is the ticket that turns out to be the lucky one.

• There have been cases where winnings were discovered by chance: a ticket was found in the pocket of a winter jacket in the spring or in a box of Christmas cards.

Why Spain loves El Gordo so much. In Spain, they often say:

"El Gordo isn't about money, it's about hope."

Even those who haven't won anything feel part of the event. Because December 22nd is a day when it seems like luck can strike anywhere: a small town, an ordinary bar, or your mailbox.

And if it doesn't happen this time, there's always the comforting, almost magical phrase:

"El año que viene"—next year.