Spanish Christmas Lottery

The Christmas Lottery (Spanish Sorteo de Navidad ) is a played out in Spain since 1812 form the state lottery, which takes place every year on the morning of December 22. The term Sorteo de Navidad first appeared in 1892. She is a special drawing ( officially: Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad ) by the state-owned enterprises Loterias y Apuestas del Estado week played out twice Lotería Nacional.

The Spanish Christmas Lottery is considered, in terms of the total played out, as the largest lottery in the world. So profits totaling 2.24 billion euros are provided for the 2013 auszuspielende Christmas lottery, which corresponds to 70 % of the inserts ( compare the distribution in the German Lotto: 50%). On the top prize, El Gordo ( " The Fat " ) account for a total profit of 640 million euros. Of the remaining 30% of 3.7% will be paid as a commission to the sales outlets and approximately 22% fall in profit to the State. The rest are costs.

System the lottery

The Christmas lottery is based, as well as the regular contractions of the Lotería Nacional, on lots with 5- digit numbers.

Since 2011 there are 100,000 Lot numbers ( 00000-99999 ), formerly there were fewer (eg 2005 to 2010 only 85,000 ).

A whole lot ( billete ) is printed on a roughly A4 -sized sheet of paper, which is divided by perforations in ten tenths lots ( Decimos ). All Decimos a billete wear the same lot number. A Décimo costs since the introduction of the euro consistently 20 euros, a whole lot so 200 euros.

Due to the huge popularity of the lottery numbers are ever placed in several so-called "series" of the lots. 2013, for example, exist from each billete 160 series, so 160 billetes and thus carry 1,600 Decimos the same lot number. The lots of the usual week contractions of the Lotería Nacional only be placed into six series and also cost less.

The exact number of ticket numbers and series and their pricing and the exact method of apportionment are newly diagnosed each year.

A whole lot ( Billete ) is therefore quite expensive; common sales unit are the tenth lots.

Lots may only be purchased at retail outlets Loterias y Apuestas del Estado, of which there are more than 10,500 nationwide. Since only 160 billetes are available from each lot number, not every lot number at any point of sale available. So for those who value a specific lot number, must identify a point of sale where it is offered (which goes on the website of the lottery company). The billetes are not directly all but delivered little by little as needed to sales points. Since 2010 there is the possibility Loose or Decimos or on electronic terminals in retail outlets Loterias y Apuestas del Estado purchase. It is then also possible to choose a specific lot number (as long as not all have been billetes delivered with this number for the sale on the traditional distribution channel).

The lots are available starting around mid- July each year.

On 22 December the following profits are drawn (as of 2013, the prize money shall cover a whole lot, so with a Décimo to win only one tenth of that sum ):

It won all 160 billetes the drawn ticket numbers. The total prize money for example, of Gordo therefore makes 640 million euros. In addition to the numbers drawn to win but also other non-drawn ticket numbers, namely (as of 2013):

• 2 prices over 20,000 euro for the lot numbers immediately before and after the First Price ( aproximación ).
• 2 prices over 12,500 euro for the lot numbers immediately before and after the Second Price ( aproximación ).
• 2 prices than 9,600 euros for the lot numbers directly before and after the third prize ( aproximación ).
• 297 from 1000 EUR for lot numbers, the first 3 digits, with the first 3 digits of the First, Second or Third Prize match ( Centena ).
• 198 from 1000 EUR for lot numbers, the first 3 digits, with the first 3 digits of the two rates coincide Fourth ( Centena ).
• 2,997 from 1000 EUR for lot numbers whose last two digits match the last two digits of the First, Second or Third Prize.
• 9,999 applications repayment ( reintegros ) about 200 euro for the lot numbers whose last digit matches the last digit of the first prize.

All prices are per lot are tight. Therefore, if a " unbliebte " pulled number of the less lots have been sold, the Lottounternehemen less profits as a whole must distribute. Conversely get more profits paid out if a top selling number is drawn.

The draw

The first draw took place on 18 December 1812 because the Spanish War of Independence in Cádiz. The course has since remained largely unchanged. Today, the draw will take place every year on the morning of December 22 in Madrid.

The draw is - as all the drawings Lotería Nacional - publicly. Since 1967, they will also be broadcast live on television. The television broadcast reaches audiences of around 50 %. The draw is considered in the public consciousness as the event with the Christmas season is ushered in, the (actually the traditional day of gift giving ) takes Spain to Epiphany. On Epiphany another special drawing ( Sorteo Extraordinario de El Niño ) is played.

In a large drum so many wooden balls are (3 grams, 18.8 mm in diameter, made ​​of boxwood and thus laser-marked no differences in weight by more or less ink arise ) as there are lot numbers (2013 ie 100,000 ) and each with a lot number are labeled. In a smaller drum are so many just such wood balls as prices are appropriate and which are labeled with the appropriate prize money (ie 2013: 1,794 balls inscribed with 1,000 euros, eight balls inscribed with 60,000 euros, two balls labeled with 200,000 euros and one ball labeled with 500,000, 1.25 million and 4 million euros ).

It falls at the same time from each of the two drums a ball into a glass bowl. These balls are of two pupils of Madrid's Colegio San Ildefonso - a former orphanage for boys, which has become a school for boys and girls from mostly difficult family situations - taken from the shells and one of the children singing the lot number and the other on her Discontinued winnings, in most cases, therefore, "mil euros " (1,000 euros ).

This procedure is repeated as many times until all prices pulled (2013 words 1.807mal ). After every 20 solid gains both drums are rotated so that mix the balls again.

Overall, the drawing takes so about 3.5 hours and gains its power in that one of the main prizes at any time, even theoretically can fall with the first or even only with the last ball of the income drum.

A good 45 minutes after the end of the draw and after repeated checking the winning numbers are officially published. The lots are transferable and must be submitted no later than three months after the draw for redemption.

Importance

The Christmas lottery is one of the world's largest and most famous lotteries.

In Spain, it is deeply rooted in the public consciousness. The record sale of lots was achieved in 2008, with 2.75 billion euros. Then it is easily broken because of the economic crisis. 2013 lots were worth about 2.1 billion euros sold ( about 2/3 of the lots that would have been available). So that every inhabitant in possession of approximately 2.5 was average Decimos. On the Christmas Lottery is about a quarter of the annual sales revenue of Loterias y Apuestas del Estado.

Also popular are " Syndicates " So many clubs buy a certain number of lots and sell portions thereof ( which may also be less than a Zehntellos ) with a small markup, which migrates into the club treasury, to its members on. In many pubs such shares purchased by the host lots can be purchased. This phenomenon, however, is to be found not only in the Christmas lottery, but also in the regular contractions of the Lotería Nacional or other lotteries.

Topic of conversation always provides the commercial for the Christmas lottery, which will be broadcast every year from the beginning of November. In 2013 this was a produced by the famous director Pablo Berger, turned in front of the picturesque scenery of the town of Pedraza music video in which singing Montserrat Caballé, Raphael, David Bustamante, Marta Sánchez Niña Pastori and to the tune of Always on My Mind. The somewhat pathetic design made ​​the spot become an Internet phenomenon: Shortly after its publication circulated several satirical revisions in the network.

Probability of winning

According to Miguel Cordoba Bueno, Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University CEU San Pablo, the probabilities of winning in 2008 behaved as follows:

• 84.32 % of the lots to lose.
• 10% of lots get back the application.
• 5.68% gain, which is of course not say what price. ( In the German lottery, there are 1.9%)

The probability of the " Gordo " is a 1 in 100,000.

Will be paid 69.7 % of all revenues.

Currently gaining 5.31% of the lots, according lose 84.69 % of the lots and will be paid 70 % of the revenue.

El Gordo

The highlight of the day it is when the income from the drum Gordo (2013: € 4 million of the 160 billetes for each with the drawn number ) falls. Since the outlets are usually several tenths of lots of the same number to sell frequently recorded entire villages or company workforces per head a six-figure income. According to television reports, this sometimes leads to a drastic increase in local property prices.

In non- Spanish-speaking countries, the term El Gordo is held specifically for the Christmas lottery at times; some even believed El Gordo Christmas lottery is the name of the whole. In reality, El Gordo, however, generally means " The Grand Prize ". So also other lotteries have their Gordo. In addition, a weekly lottery game called El Gordo de la Primitiva takes place in Spain for some time. This is not to be confused with the Christmas lottery.

New 2011 and 2013

In 2011, the number of ticket numbers was increased from 85,000 to 100,000 (by which the probability of winning sank ). In return, however, the winnings were increased ( the gordo for a Zehntellos now stands at 400,000 euros instead of the previous 300,000 euros ).

By 2013, no taxes have on profits that were achieved in of Loterias y Apuestas del Estado organized lotteries raised. This is first time in 2013 different: profits that go beyond an allowance of 2,500 euros will be taxed at 20%. The tax is paid directly in the payment of the lottery company ( withholding tax ). . The main prize for a Zehntellos makes after taxes it only needs 320 500 Euros and is thus only 20,500 euros higher than before the increase in prize money in 2011 due to the withholding tax not in fact be 70 %, but 63.3 to 63.7 % paid ( depending on whether whole or tenth lots will be considered ).

Curiosities

. The number combination, with the first draw was won in 1812, was: 03604 The number that has since been drawn most frequently is the one; the four has since drawn the least number.

A special feature of the Christmas lottery, the town of Sort (Autonomous Community of Catalonia ) is: Because Sort " happiness " means in Catalan, the place attracts a large number of tourists from all over Spain, which often buy there are lots of gambling. In fact, already above average profit lots were sold in Sort; over a period of ten years there have been five major winners who had purchased their lot there. The local retail outlet La Bruixa d' Or ( Catalan: The Gold Witch ) has the highest turnover in the country by far. Here lots can also be ordered via the Internet, which are then delivered by mail.

Before the changeover on euro profit per lot was 150,000 pesetas in the lowest income class. Since the gain is total 1.774mal drawn, the children of the Colegio San Ildefonso but just as often had to " ciento Cincuenta mil pesetas " sing, from 2002 "mil euros " (1,000 euros ). This causes the contraction procedure shortened in comparison to the last peseta contraction in 2001 to nine minutes.

In 2011, an entire region won in the Spanish Christmas lottery. In particular, the village Sodeto was considered the happiness among all the inhabitants except one person had bought at least one item on the each accounted for a gain of 50,000 €. Overall, a total profit of € 120 million was recovered in the region.

Sources