How to Play Spain El Gordo
The Spain El Gordo lottery is an easy game to play, requiring you to pick numbers from two different number ranges. This Sunday lottery carries good odds and a total of six correct numbers will get you the jackpot.
Luckily, thanks to online lottery sites, you can play this game even when in South Africa. So, use our guideline on how to play Spain El Gordo, including how to claim prizes and keep to the rules, so you can possibly become one of the lucky winners!
Contents
- Spain El Gordo Basics and Rules
- How to Buy a Spain El Gordo Ticket
- How to Play Spain El Gordo Online
- How to Play Spain El Gordo In-Store
- How to Play Spain El Gordo via Lottery Apps & More
- How to Know if You Won the Spain El Gordo Lottery?
- What Happens If You Win the Spain El Gordo Lottery?
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs
In a Hurry?
Here’s a quick overview of the Spain El Gordo basics, if you want to get started.
| Numbers to win the jackpot | 6 (5 + 1) |
|---|---|
| Jackpot type | Rollover |
| Number range | 1 – 54 & 0 – 9 |
| Prize categories | 9 |
| Draw days | Sunday |
| Draw time (SA Time) | 9:30 pm (April – October) 10:30 pm (Nov – March) |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Claim period | 3 months |
| Jackpot odds | 1:31,625,100 |
| Biggest Jackpot | €33 million (~ZAR 627 million) (Update: September 2023) |
Spain El Gordo Basics and Rules
‘El Gordo’ means ‘the fat one’ and the phrase is associated with various Spanish lotteries. The Spanish lottery operator offers various lotteries to players these days, so, it’s important to distinguish the El Gordo de la Primitiva game from other Spanish lotteries with similar names:
- The lottery known as ‘El Gordo de Navidad’ is Spain’s Christmas lottery.
- There’s also a La Primitiva game, taking place on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
- Spanish players also enjoy the daily Bonoloto 6/49 lottery.
In this article, we share the game rules and guidelines for the weekly Spanish lottery that takes place on Sundays.
Playing Spain El Gordo
Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado (SELAE), the state owned company in Spain that manages El Gordo and other lotteries, has strict rules in place for lottery players. Get all the necessary information on pricing, timelines and game structure below. Having enough information empowers you to be a successful and responsible player.
| Feature | Rules | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 | Players must be at least 18 years old. Any vendor can rightfully request proof of age and identification before selling an El Gordo ticket. |
| Ticket costs | Standard ticket costs: €1.50 | For players using online lottery sites, review pricing, as service fees may apply. |
Rules and Structure
If you already know how to play popular games like Mega Millions, you’ll find Spain’s El Gordo easy to understand. The game structure is similar, as are the prize tiers. However, the smaller number ranges make the odds very attractive!
Understanding the Spain El Gordo Structure
This is a lottery that follows a very simple game structure, so you simply need to understand the following and you’ll quickly feel comfortable playing it:
- Number ranges: The game allows players to pick General Numbers between 1 and 54, as well as a Special Number between 0 and 9. The latter is called the ‘Numero Clave’.
- Numbers to pick: Players must pick six numbers in total – five General Numbers and 1 Special Number.
- To win: You can win a prize even by just guessing the Numero Clave correctly. For the jackpot you must have all five General Numbers and the Numero Clave correct.
- Reintegro: The Special Number is also referred to as ‘Reintegro’ which means ‘refund’. This is because in the standard lottery in Spain, you’ll win the cost of a ticket (refunded) if you get this number correct.
Unlike many South African lotteries that have supplementary games, like Lotto Plus 1, this game is very straightforward. That makes it ideal for newbies wanting to get used to playing the lottery and perhaps trying out strategies based on El Gordo hot and cold numbers. If you get it right, you stand to win some amazing prizes!
Drawings and Prizes
Make sure you don’t miss out on this game, as it only comes once a week – quite different from many international lotteries like US Powerball, that’s played at least twice each week. This one’s draws take place on Sundays at 9:30 pm. For South Africans, the exact time you can expect results will depend on the time of year, all because of Daylight Savings Time:
- 9:30 pm from April to October
- 10:30 pm from October until March
During the draw six numbers will be drawn and based on how many of them correspond with what’s on your ticket, you’ll fall into one of nine prize categories.
The rules on prizes include:
- The week’s ticket sales are used to create a prize pool. Over 50% of the ticket sales go back to players’ pockets, since it’s all used as part of this prize fund.
- The operators will guarantee a minimum of €5 million as a jackpot prize.
- Operators allocate a percentage of the prize pool to most of the prize categories. All players in that category will share the money for that tier, which is part of the rules of a pari-mutuel system. This also means the amount for each prize tier is only made public once it has been determined how many winners there are and how much each person will take home.
- There are two tiers with set prizes. The last tier’s prize can be seen as a refund for guessing the Special Number correctly, as this prize equals the ticket price. As mentioned, this is why it’s also called the Reintegro number.
To understand how the draw results affect your winnings the next time you play the Spain El Gordo de la Primitiva, use this table as reference:
| Category | General Numbers | Special Numbers (Numero Clave) | Prize Pool % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 1 | 22% |
| 2 | 5 | 0 | 33% |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 6% |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 7% |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 8% |
| 6 | 3 | 0 | 26% |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | 20% |
| 8 | 2 | 0 | Set prize: €3 |
| 9 | 0 | 1 | Refund: €1.50 |
If you realise you’ve won a prize, your claims process will depend on how you initially bought your ticket.
| Method of Play | Claiming a prize |
|---|---|
| Use retail outlet in Spain | Visit one of the 11,000 Lottery Sales Network points, or an authorised financial institution. |
| SELAE website or app | Although small prizes can be paid automatically, bigger prizes require forms to be filled in for bank transfers. |
| Online lottery sites | Expect automated payments, but follow up and check policies to see if a claims procedure is necessary. |
How to Buy a Spain El Gordo Ticket
You have all week to plan your ticket details for the El Gordo draw. If you don’t buy on time though, you’ll have to wait a whole week before the next chance to win. So, use the table below to help plan your budget and ensure you don’t accidentally miss out due to the cut-off times.
| Where and how you play Spain El Gordo | Ticket Price | Cut Off Times | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official El Gordo retail outlet | Standard ticket: €1.50 | Check store times | Ticket sales are only allowed from Monday to Saturday |
| SELAE app or website | Standard ticket: €1.50 | 15 minutes before the draw |
|
| Online lottery sites |
| Check with vendor and refer to countdowns if available. |
Source: Lotto Agent
As shown above, players have a variety of methods to take part in Spain’s El Gordo game. Pick the best option based on how you prefer playing and whether you’re in South Africa or Spain:
- SELAE website or app
- SELAE retail outlets in Spain
- Online lottery sites
How to Play Spain El Gordo Online
As with Italy’s SuperEnalotto, the El Gordo is a popular European lottery, so you’re likely to find it on most reputable online lottery sites. The steps below explain what you can expect when buying a ticket for this lottery.
1. Open an account – Provide proof of identification and if the platform offers a player’s wallet, deposit money.
2. Find the El Gordo de la Primitiva lottery – Search the list of lotteries or use filters for quick navigation.
3. Set number of lines – Platforms may have a minimum requirement.
4. Pick your numbers for both grids – Quick Pick and El Gordo number generators simplify this step for you. Choose 5 main numbers and one special number.
5. Use special features – Select subscriptions, boosted jackpots and other details to benefit from discounts and bigger prizes. Each platform has unique offers.
Source: Lotto Agent
6. Finalise the purchase – Use ‘Pay’ or ‘Buy’ buttons to confirm details of the ticket.
7. Wait for the draw – Ticket details can be checked in your player profile at any time.
How to Play Spain El Gordo In-Store
When you’re in Spain you can buy a ticket at a registered point of sale, as this option is available to tourists. These outlets are available across the country and you’ll follow this process:
1. Find an outlet – Sisal’s website helps you find sales points near you.
2. Get a betting slip – Pick a weekly ticket, or a ticket that can be used for multi-draws. Each slip has six number grids. You decide how many you want to play.
3. Select main numbers – For each ticket, select five numbers.
4. Pick Special Number – Tick the number for the Numero Clave. This number will apply for all the main number grids.
5. Pay for ticket – You’ll receive a printed receipt with your ticket details.
6. Wait for the draw – Compare your ticket details with El Gordo results when it’s published, so you know if you need to claim a prize.
How to Play Spain El Gordo via Lottery Apps & More
SELAE has a robust online platform to make it easy for Spanish locals to enjoy a range of lotteries. This includes EuroMillions and El Gordo. There’s also an app – available for Android and iOS – so you can play the lottery on the go.
Note that these services are only available to players operating in Spain. You may be able to access it with the help of a VPN, but you must have a Spanish DNI (National Identity Document) or Foreign Identity Card to open an account.
We’ll summarise the steps.
- Create an account – SELAE allows payment via Visa, Mastercard and PayPal.
- Select lottery – All available lotteries are shown at the top of your screen.
- Pick Single or Multiple – ‘Multiple’ allows up to 11 numbers to be played. It increases your chances, but costs much more.
- Complete number grids – Click on numbers for the main numbers and the Reintegro/Numero Clave, also called the ‘Key number’ on this platform.
- Confirm subscription – Automatically use the numbers for multiple upcoming weeks.
- Confirm the bet – Click on ‘Confirm’ button to finalise the purchase.
- Download the app – iOS and Android options are available.
- Create an account or log in – Use your existing SELAE account if you already have one.
- Pick Spain El Gordo de la Primitiva – Icons of all available lotteries, with current jackpots, are displayed on the main page to easily click on and navigate.
- Pick draw day – Confirm which draw you want to play.
- Submit ticket details – Click on relevant blocks to select single or multiple plays, the numbers you want or a Quick Pick option. Also state whether you want to play the ticket each week.
- Confirm the ticket – Check the details and pay for the ticket.
How to Know if You Won the Spain El Gordo Lottery?
Make sure you don’t miss out on winnings, by always following up on possible winnings for any ticket you bought.
| Method of Play | How to Know You’ve Won |
|---|---|
| Purchase tickets in Spain | Compare your El Gordo ticket with published results. |
| SELAE website or app |
|
| Online lottery sites | Compare draw results with ticket information in your profile. Vendors also notify winners. |
What Happens If You Win the Spain El Gordo Lottery?
Checking if you’ve won is only the first important step. Then you need to make sure the money gets into your account. Some tips to remembers:
- Store purchased tickets always require you to take action in person. You must visit a Lottery Sales Network point in Spain, or a financial institution if you’ve won more than €2,000. You’ll be required to provide identification.
- When using the SELAE website or app, small winnings are paid out automatically. For prize money over €2,000 you may be required to take certain actions, as explained to you in your player profile. You must take action within three months of the draw.
- When using online lottery sites like theLotter, you can expect automatic payments but check if payment is made and follow up. The vendor may require proof of bank account or identification before transferring large amounts.
- If a lottery site purchases authentic tickets on your behalf, they may expect you to travel to Spain to claim jackpot prize money in person.
Final Thoughts
With a jackpot prize that starts at a very inviting €5 million, Spain’s El Gordo de la Primitiva is a lottery to try out! It’s valuable even though it takes place less often than the Daily Lotto South Africans love so much. And now that you know how to play the game, you can use lottery strategies and data like El Gordo’s historical results to perfect your game and win big!
FAQs
El Gordo lottery operators sell tickets at local points of sale in Spain, as well as through their official website and app. For international players there’s the option of using an online lottery site that buys authentic El Gordo tickets on your behalf.
Luckily lottery agents make it easy for international players to also enjoy the excitement of the El Gordo lottery. These platforms allow players to become owners of real tickets, of which a copy is sent to the player. Alternatively, use the platforms that allow you to bet on the outcome of the El Gordo draw.
The rules for El Gordo are similar to Lotto and many other lotteries. All players must be at least 18 years old to play.
Ticket sale cut-off times depend on how you play. When playing in stores in Spain, tickets for a Sunday’s draw are usually only available from Monday to Saturday. However, you can still play online until 15 minutes before the draw. Do check with online lottery sites’ policies, as they have different guidelines in terms of timelines.
The ticket price set by the organisers, SELAE, is €1.50 for a single ticket. When using lottery sites players may pay more if the vendor charges service fees.
No matter how you decide to play the lottery, you can use any numbers within the number ranges of 1 – 54 and 0 – 9 for your ticket. There’s also a Quick Pick feature to consider. Note that one Reintegro/Numero Clave number usually applies to all six of the tickets of that lottery slip, when playing in store. Online lottery sites also offer the option of using your own numbers or the system can assign random numbers to each ticket.
Each El Gordo ticket has six numbers assigned to it. This includes five main numbers and one Numero Clave number.
In contrast to many other European lotteries like the Greece Lotto, this lottery’s draws only take place once a week. The draw is each Sunday at 9:30 pm. Due to Daylight Savings, during the summer months South Africans will only have the results at 10:30 pm.
Spain is one of the few European countries that do charge tax if you win the lottery. 20% tax is chargeable but it usually only applies to winnings of €40,000 or more.
South Africans who use lottery sites to purchase real tickets on their behalf should know their winnings may be subject to this deduction. Also, you should discuss lottery winnings with a tax expert. Although South African tax laws don’t require tax payments on lottery prizes, certain deductions may apply when you receive money from abroad.
In 2011 the Spanish El Gordo jackpot grew to €33 million (~ZAR627 million). Because of the great odds of this game, the jackpot is won regularly, but this occurrence proves that any lottery can turn ordinary citizens into multi-millionaires!
No, the El Gordo jackpot keeps on growing when it’s not won. The rules don’t stipulate any jackpot cap.
The operator’s rules state that players must take action within three months of the draw to ensure prize money is paid over to them. Players using online lottery sites should check the vendor’s policies for relevant rules, but usually winnings will be paid over automatically.
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