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Cheers with a protective mask: these winners pose in Alcalá de Henares
Photo: Fernando Villar / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
Premature gift giving in Spain: Two little boys have drawn the main prize of the Spanish Christmas lottery in the Madrid opera house Teatro Real.
It is considered the largest and oldest raffle in the world.
The children singing the lucky number 72,897 and the prize money shortly after twelve o'clock.
Shortly afterwards, the first winners rushed into the streets cheering.
For a whole lot the total of the main prize is four million euros.
Since each of the 100,000 ticket numbers was issued 172 times due to the great demand, »El Gordo«, the »fat one«, as the main prize is called, distributed the record sum of 688 million euros this year.
Overall, the "Lotería de Navidad" brought in more than 1,800 smaller prizes as much as 2.4 billion euros.
Among the winners this year were also many people who are particularly suffering from the corona pandemic.
"We have all had hardly any income here for many months"
In the Andalusian seaside resort of Punta Umbría, the tourism sector has been badly affected.
»El Gordo« has now paid out 240 million euros.
Enrique, the operator of a small amusement park that did not open at all this year, won 400,000 euros before taxes with a so-called "Décimo", a tenth of a ticket bought for 20 euros.
"I'm freaking out, I don't believe it," he said to the TV station RTVE with a champagne glass in his trembling hand and close to tears.
“We've all had hardly any income here for many months, but still have to pay mortgages and taxes.
Often there is just enough money to fill you up. "
Mayor Aurora Aguedo cheered in front of journalists: "Among the winners are fishermen and small business owners who will enjoy the lottery in these very difficult times." As in Punta Umbría, there was also a rain of money in the Catalan Reus with 240 million euros for the "El Gordo" «Particularly violent.
According to the state lottery company, the "fat" alone made people happy in 20 of the country's 50 provinces.
But practically everywhere in Spain champagne corks popped and tears of joy flowed.
In exuberance, one or the other winner forgot the Corona rules and fell around the necks of complete strangers.
However, most of them wore protective masks.
The celebrations were not only at home, but also in the open air and, above all, following tradition in front of the lottery acceptance points.
Biggest raffle in the world
For some winners, however, the joy was also clouded: »My grandma died of Covid in July, my father and I became unemployed.
Now my family wins more than half a million with three tickets.
Insane.
Insane.
I can't really celebrate, ”said 28-year-old architect Pilar of the dpa news agency in front of a lottery sales point in Madrid's Chamberí district.
In terms of the total amount paid out, the Spanish Christmas lottery is considered the largest raffle in the world.
It has a tradition of more than 200 years, making it the oldest in the world.
The first drawing took place in 1812.
The more than four-hour announcement of the lucky numbers was broadcast live on television in front of an audience of millions.
All over the country, syndicates of office colleagues, neighbors, bar friends and even entire villages are formed.
The individual is usually content with a tenth of a ticket, because a whole ticket costs 200 euros.
More and more Germans are taking part, according to reports recently more than 150,000.
However, thanks to sales of almost 2.6 billion euros and the 20 percent withholding tax on profits of more than 40,000 euros, the Spanish state in particular draws the big lot.
According to the latest estimates, this year he will generate at least half a billion euros in net income.
Because of the special Corona expenses, the state also needs the money more than ever this year.
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bbr / dpa