Spain kicks off festivities with ‘El Gordo’ bumper lottery

By CIARÁN GILES
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spain has kicked off the festive period with one of its most iconic events: the huge Christmas lottery, known as “El Gordo,” or The Fat One. The most sought-after prize shells out 400,000 euros ($425,000), or some 325,000 euros after tax, to winning holders of 20-euro tickets, known as “décimos.” The winning numbers are called out by children from Madrid’s San Ildefonso school in a nationally televised draw at Madrid’s Teatro Real opera house. Purchasing and sharing the 20-euro tickets in the run-up to Christmas is a major tradition among families, friends and co-workers. Other lotteries have bigger individual top prizes but Spain’s Christmas lottery, held each Dec. 22, is ranked as the world’s richest for total prize money.