Lorraine Williamson
Every December, Spain pauses for a moment of collective hope. The Lotería de Navidad — better known as El Gordo — brings the country together as children from the San Ildefonso school sing out the prize numbers from Madrid’s Teatro Real.
The ritual is so deeply woven into Spanish life that more than 70% of the population takes part. Offices buy shared tickets, families split décimos, and whole neighbourhoods wait for that magical moment when a winning number transforms their Christmas.
This year, €2.6 billion is up for grabs, with the top prize delivering €4 million per series. As the draw approaches, one question keeps resurfacing: can AI spot a trend in the numbers that end up being sung aloud?
Officially, every number has the same chance of winning. Yet generations of players swear there are clues buried in past results. Long-time participants talk about “lucky endings,” and statisticians occasionally weigh in with observations of their own. So when AI was asked what number it would choose if it had to pick, it avoided making predictions — but it did identify several striking patterns from previous draws.
Spain´s Christmas Lottery explained
What AI says about the numbers Spaniards shouldn’t ignore
AI stressed that El Gordo isn’t predictable, but it did point to trends that appear repeatedly over the decades. Numbers ending in 0
Working from those tendencies, the AI offered a hypothetical “inspired” choice: 42,350.
It also suggested four additional numbers that show up in patterns across previous draws:
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57,820
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31,705
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26,940
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63,515
These, the AI emphasised, are not predictions — simply numbers that fit recurring themes found in historical data.
Why you may want to avoid “pretty” or obvious numbers
One warning stood out. AI recommended steering clear of tidy patterns such as 12345, repeated digits like 11111, or anything that feels too neat. Those sequences are magnets for buyers. If they win, they win big — but you may end up sharing with hundreds of people. For anyone dreaming of a generous payout for themselves or their peña, less obvious choices are often wiser.
The magic behind 22 December
Beyond the probabilities and playful guesses, Spaniards buy their décimos for something deeper: tradition, anticipation, and the shared belief that Christmas begins the moment the schoolchildren’s voices echo through Madrid. Whether you rely on statistics, superstition or simply choose your lucky number every year, the thrill remains the same.
And when the balls start rolling on 22 December, millions will once again stop what they’re doing, lean in, and listen — waiting for that unforgettable moment of celebration that has marked Spanish Christmas for more than two centuries.
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