Logrono wins Spanish lottery

[MickMac]

Spain’s huge Christmas lottery spreads riches worth almost €3bn

Top prize, known as El Gordo or the Fat One, won by ticket holders in the northern city of Logroño

www.theguardian.com

 

[J Willhaus]

 

[SabsP]

The live show is always great entertainment though this student made an error ( due to high stress surely).

Una niña canta un falso Gordo en el sorteo de Lotería de Navidad y genera confusión en la audiencia

Una niña canta un falso Gordo en el sorteo de Lotería de Navidad y genera confusión en la audiencia

www.rtve.es

The singing children of the Colegio of San Ildefonso in Madrid.

El 72.480, Gordo de la Lotería de Navidad 2024, riega de millones Logroño y un club de baloncesto en Madrid

El 72.480, Gordo de la Lotería de Navidad 2024, riega de millones Logroño y un club de baloncesto en Madrid

www.rtve.es

 

[ivar]

No luck for us today. This lottery is part of the Christmas traditions in Spain.
View attachment IMG_6170.mov

 

[Takahiwai]

I wish I still lived there - I might have been in on that!

 

[SabsP]

I wish I still lived there - I might have been in on that!

Community spirit also at its best when people from a street or a specific neighbourhood buy tickets together.

 

[henrythedog]

I’m clearly no stranger to controversy.

It’s a tax on the poor and the stupid - as is pretty much any form of gambling - but in this case especially so.

The state gets over €1.2 billion (BILLION) from the state lottery annually. I’m sure that is deployed to socially beneficial causes, but still. If the object of taxation policy is to pluck the most feathers from the goose with the least amount of hissing, the state lottery seems to win.

 

[peregrina2000]

It’s a tax on the poor and the stupid - as is pretty much any form of gambling - but in this case especially so.

I generally agree with what you say about lotteries, @henrythedog, but I think that in this case the cost is spread much more evenly across all strata of society. Not only poor and stupid people play the Christmas lottery. It is a huge tradition in many families, workplaces, neighborhoods, social clubs, parishes, etc. Almost every single professional Spaniard I know buys in with at least one décimo and frequently several. With their eyes fully open, but enjoying the tradition, sing song results and all.

Your post is a bit too “Bah humbug” methinks.

 

[ivar]

It has become much more than a regular lottery.. it is almost part of the Christmas traditions. Others from outside of Spain might not see this.

 

[henrythedog]

I generally agree with what you say about lotteries, @henrythedog, but I think that in this case the cost is spread much more evenly across all strata of society. Not only poor and stupid people play the Christmas lottery. It is a huge tradition in many families, workplaces, neighborhoods, social clubs, parishes, etc. Almost every single professional Spaniard I know buys in with at least one décimo and frequently several. With their eyes fully open, but enjoying the tradition, sing song results and all.

Your post is a bit too “Bah humbug” methinks.

That’s a reasonable summary.

Clearly it’s a tradition - started to finance the war with France in the early 19C (which one may suspect has now been paid for several times over) - and now is a significant national event. The average purchase - I assume per adult - is €70; and I very much doubt that spend is biased towards the higher earners. The queues outside the lottery offices in December are immense.

It’s a free choice to participate, or not; and extraordinarily an optional tax willingly paid.