The numbers of el Gordo were announced by the singing on Thursday (yesterday). From the Teatro Real in Madrid, all of Spain could follow the live broadcast. The winning number this year was 05490. And that also caused emotion and commotion in the theatre.
Despite high inflation Spaniards were again gearing up this year for El Gordo. It is the world’s biggest Christmas lottery, and takes place annually on 22 December. On average, Spaniards spent €69 on it this year, almost €3 more than last year. Moreover, now the winners are known!
The event surrounding the draw was once again able to go ahead with the public, without corona measures. However, security was stepped up this year because of protests by climate activists in Madrid earlier this year.
Part of a lottery ticket, part of the prize
Among the prizes in the draw are the so-called ‘Gordo’, of €4 million for the series (€400,000 for the winning tenth lottery ticket). The second prize is €1,250,000 for the series (€125,000 for a tenth). The third prize is €500,000 for the series (€50,000 for the tenth). In addition, there are two fourth prizes of €200,000 per series (€20,000 per tenth) and eight fifth prizes of €60,000 per series (€6,000 per tenth).
Because the lottery tickets are so expensive, Spaniards often buy part of a lottery ticket, for example a tenth (un décimo) With a décimo, a maximum of €400,000 can be won. The lottery is an important tradition among families, friends and colleagues at work, as well as in bars and sports and social clubs.
Winners announced singing
The winners were announced from 9.00 am by singing children from the San Ildefonso school in Madrid. They droned out the winning numbers and corresponding prizes for hours.
The first three grand prizes were announced in just 10 minutes: the first and second fifth prizes (62391 and 43696) and the second prize (04074).
Before 1.00 pm, all the major prizes had already been drawn. Therefore, the last hour saw a rapid decline in public interest. In the stalls at the Teatro Real in Madrid, mainly family members of the school children of San Ildefonso were still there.
What was striking about the 2022 draw, which was able to take place “normally” again without coronagraphs, was that on five occasions major prizes were drawn within minutes of each other. Between 11.08 am and 11.10 am, the first fourth prize(54289) and the third fifth prize (88509) were drawn. Then, at 11.21 am, the “Gordo” ball came out.
Emotion, commotion and beautiful prizes in the hall
El Gordo, the first prize worth €4 million, fell on lottery number 05490. The lottery number, with one of the lowest numbers in the history of “el Gordo”, was not only good for millions but also for emotion and commotion in the hall of the Teatro Real. Because, present there was a Spanish woman – an unemployed cleaner – who won the top prize. She left the theatre accompanied by her children and SAMUR ambulance services. The lottery number was the date of birth of one of her children.
Distributed across the country
The top prize of the 2022 Christmas lottery, with the number 5,490, fell in 32 provinces, 86% of which were in A Coruña, Fonsagrada (Lugo), Moreda de Aller (Asturias), Roquetas de Mar (Almeria) and Madrid. The number 4,074 won the second prize. This second prize fell in Puigcerdá and Olot, both in Gerona, and Bilbao and Mungía, both in Biskay.
The third prize, worth €500,000 per series, with the number 45,250, went to Madrid’s administration 408, at 459 Alcalá street. Fourth prizes went to lottery numbers 54,289 and 25,296; fifth prizes fell to 62,391, 43,696, 88,509, 38,454, 24,492, 79,138, 36,142 and 87,092.
A summary of lottery numbers and prizes
- Main prize el Gordo: 05490 (€4 million)
- Second prize: 04074 (€1.25 million)
- Third prize: 45250 (€500,000)
- Fourth prize: 54289, 25296 (€200,000)
- Fifth prize : 62391, 43696, 88509, 38454, 24492, 79138, 36142, 87092 (€60,000)
If you missed out on a prize, you can have another chance in the traditional El Niño draw on January 6.
