THE ESSENTIALS
The Spanish Christmas Lottery explained: El Gordo 2026
El Gordo is drawn on 22 December. Here’s how Spain’s Christmas lottery works, what you can win, the tax, the odds and how to play safely from the UK.
What is the Spanish Christmas Lottery?
The Spanish Christmas Lottery is Spain’s biggest lottery draw of the year. Its proper name is the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad. Most people call it El Gordo, which means “the fat one”, though strictly that’s the name of the top prize.
The first draw was in Cádiz in 1812, and these days it’s held on 22 December every year. This year’s draw is on Tuesday 22 December 2026.
It doesn’t work like Lotto or EuroMillions. There’s no jackpot that rolls over. Instead it pays out thousands of prizes, and every winning number is printed on lots of tickets. That’s why one win is often shared by a whole town, office or bar.
Spain also has a weekly game called El Gordo de la Primitiva. That’s a different game, and this guide isn’t about it.
How tickets work: billetes, décimos and series
Every ticket has a five-digit number from 00000 to 99999, so there are 100,000 numbers in the draw.
- A full ticket is called a billete and costs €200.
- Most people buy a tenth of one, called a décimo, for €20. Prizes are paid per décimo, so this guide quotes them that way.
- Each number is printed in 205 series this year, so 2,050 décimos carry the same number.
- In all, 205 million décimos are on sale and €2.87 billion goes back in prizes. That’s 70% of the money taken.
Plenty of people also buy participaciones. These are small shares in a décimo, sold by bars, clubs and businesses for a few euros each. Shops in Spain only have certain numbers, so if you want a particular one you might have to hunt for it.
El Gordo 2026 prizes for a €20 décimo
Here’s what each prize pays on one €20 décimo, before and after Spanish tax.
| Prize | How many | Per décimo | After Spanish tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Gordo (1st prize) | 1 | €400,000 | €328,000 |
| 2nd prize | 1 | €125,000 | €108,000 |
| 3rd prize | 1 | €50,000 | €48,000 |
| 4th prize | 2 | €20,000 | €20,000 |
| 5th prize | 8 | €6,000 | €6,000 |
| Pedrea | About 1,800 | €100 | €100 |
| Refund (reintegro) | 9,999 numbers ending in El Gordo’s last digit | €20 | €20 |
There are smaller prizes too. They go to the numbers just before and after the top three prizes, and to numbers that share their first three or last two digits. Add it all up and 15,304 of the 100,000 numbers win something.
The pedrea is the name for the big batch of €100 prizes. The refund gives you your €20 back.
How much tax does Spain take?
Spain taxes big lottery wins. The first €40,000 of each décimo is tax-free, and Spain keeps 20% of everything above that. It takes the tax off before you’re paid.
So a décimo that wins El Gordo pays €328,000, not €400,000. Everything from the 4th prize down is paid in full.
The UK doesn’t normally tax lottery wins, so there shouldn’t be more to pay here. Interest you earn on the money later is taxable, like with a National Lottery win. Our guide to tax on lottery winnings explains how that works.
Can you play El Gordo from the UK?
Yes. Anyone can play, whatever their nationality. Lottery shops all over Spain sell tickets, and bars and restaurants sell them on too. If you’re in Spain before Christmas, buying in person is the simplest way to get a ticket.
Online is where you need to be careful. Spain’s official operator is Loterías y Apuestas del Estado. Lots of websites aimed at UK players don’t sell you a Spanish ticket at all. They take a bet on the result instead. Betting on the result can be legal if the site is licensed by the Gambling Commission, but the prizes and payouts come from that company, not the Spanish lottery.
Other sites buy real décimos and hold them for you, or sell shares in a syndicate. Before you pay, check that the site is licensed, that it tells you exactly which number you own, and that it explains how prizes get to you and what it charges.
Ignore emails or messages saying you’ve won a Spanish lottery you never entered. You can’t win a draw without a ticket. Our guide to checking your ticket covers the common scams.
When is the draw and how do you check and claim?
The draw starts at 9am Spanish time on 22 December, which is 8am in the UK. It takes place in Madrid and runs for about three and a half hours.
Children from Madrid’s San Ildefonso school draw the balls and sing out each number and its prize. The draw is shown live on Spanish TV and is a big part of Christmas in Spain.
You can check your number on the official Loterías y Apuestas del Estado website once the draw is under way. You have to claim prizes within three months. Small ones can be paid in a lottery shop. Big ones go through a bank, which can mean opening an account in Spain.
What are the odds of winning El Gordo?
The odds of a décimo winning El Gordo are 1 in 100,000. That’s far better than the Lotto jackpot, which is about 1 in 45 million. But the top prize is €400,000 per décimo, not millions.
About 1 in 6.5 numbers wins something. Most of those are the €20 refund, which only gives you your money back. Leave the refund out and it’s about 1 in 19.
Only 70% of ticket money comes back as prizes. So on average, players get back €14 for every €20 they spend, before tax. Treat it as a bit of Christmas fun and set a limit. You can compare it with UK games in our lottery odds guide.
Questions people ask
When is the Spanish Christmas Lottery 2026?
Tuesday 22 December 2026. The draw starts at 9am Spanish time, which is 8am in the UK, and lasts about three and a half hours.
How much is El Gordo worth?
€4 million for a full ticket, which is €400,000 for each €20 décimo. After Spanish tax, a winning décimo pays €328,000.
Can I play the Spanish Christmas Lottery from the UK?
Yes. You can buy a real ticket in Spain, or use a licensed service that buys one for you. Many UK websites take a bet on the result instead of selling you a ticket, so read the terms before you pay.
What are the odds of winning El Gordo?
1 in 100,000 per décimo. About 1 in 6.5 numbers wins something, but most of those prizes are the €20 refund.
Do I pay tax on a Spanish lottery win in the UK?
Spain takes 20% of anything over €40,000 per décimo before it pays you. The UK doesn’t normally tax lottery wins, but interest you earn on the money later is taxable.