Euro Millions Historical Results
Euro Millions Historical Results
The Confusing and Exciting El Gordo Lottery
The El Gordo (The Fat One) Christmas lotto is the most time-honoured lottery draw in Spain with the vast majority of the country’s residents participating. In fact, this draw has grown to be a national diversion with 98% of Spain’s citizens partaking. This is not really unexpected when you consider that the El Gordo lottery is the largest prize fund lottery game worldwide.
The typical Spanish citizen spends about 73 Euros in the Christmas draw and in 2008 the prize fund is projected to top a staggering €2.20 billion. Here are a number of fundamental features of the El Gordo lottery:
· In excess of 13,000 prizes are paid out.
· It is operated by the Spanish Government.
· There is an exceptional 1 in 6 likelihood of scooping a cash prize.
· All prizes are paid out immediately and are tax-free for Spain’s residents.
· 70% of the revenue generated by ticket sales are paid out in cash prizes.
Since way back in December 1812 this Spanish lottery game is operated according to exactly the same procedure each year. Two big spherical containers are used; one of them contains tens of thousands of small wooden balls representing all ticket numbers; the other one contains a smaller amount of wooden balls representing the prizes to be drawn. In the Lotería Nacional hall in Madrid, students of the San Ildefonso School (formerly reserved for orphans of public servants) draw the numbers and corresponding prizes, singing the results aloud to the considerable on looking crowd while Spanish radio and television stations transmit the occasion.
Due to the considerable quantity of numbers and prizes, this process takes roughly 3 hours. In recent years, more than 4,800 individual numbers have won at least €1,000 per billete (€100 per décimo) in the Christmas draw. Those individuals who are not fortunate enough to win a cash prize frequently make the typical remark that “it’s health that really matters”. Participants who only recoup their entry fee will often re-invest the prize in a ticket for El Niño, the second most significant draw, which takes place on the 6th of January each year.
The two vessel system is the traditional method of drawing the numbers in Spanish lotteries but this approach is now set aside exclusively for the celebrated Christmas draw. The remainder of the weekly and 5 other yearly El Gordo draws use five containers with 10 balls in each, from where the winning numbers are selected.
Lottery shops in Spain generally only sell tickets for one or two numbers, so the winners of the largest prizes often reside in the same city or neighbourhood or work for the same business. In 2005, the winning number was sold in the town of Vic in Catalonia (population 37,825), whose residents shared approximately €500 million.
Historically, you could only take part in the El Gordo lottery if you were a Spanish citizen. However, with the introduction of lottery ticket sales agents you now have the opportunity to participate in this globally celebrated Spanish lottery regardless of where you reside around the world. Some international El Gordo syndicates have also been established to not only allow more people access to this lottery but to enhance their likelihood of winning cash prizes as well.
About the Author
Lee May is a part time internet marketer living in Watford a great town of Hertfordshire in the UK. He is also an up and coming affiliate for the e-Lottery System. Discover the all the benefits of promoting the
UK National Lotto syndicates to the global lottery playing community.
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