El Gordo Navidad FAQs

Still have questions about El Gordo Navidad? You’ve come to the right place - the answers to many of your queries can be found here.

Question: When is the El Gordo Navidad draw held?

Answer: The El Gordo Navidad draw is held once a year on the 22nd of December.

Question: When is the cutoff for buying El Gordo Navidad tickets?

Answer: Ticket sales for El Gordo Navidad typically close on the evening of the 21st of December before the numbered balls to be used in the draw are brought out to be examined by members of the public.

Question: How old do I have to be to play El Gordo Navidad?

Answer: All El Gordo Navidad players must be at least 18 years old regardless of their location.

Question: I’d like to play El Gordo Navidad but I don’t live in Spain. What can I do?

Answer: You don’t have to miss out on this great lottery game if you don’t live in Spain! By using an online concierge service, you can place an order for a decimo online and have the physical ticket purchased for you by a local agent. A scanned copy of the ticket will be sent to your account. Then, all you have to do is sit back and wait for the results! Do try and watch the draw, though - it’s a Spanish cultural institution. If you’re due a prize, an email will be sent to you so that you can log in and check the important details.

Question: How can I win an El Gordo Navidad prize?

Answer: You can win an El Gordo Navidad prize by matching some - or all - of your ticket number to the winning ball drawn as well as the corresponding prize ball. Visit the El Gordo Navidad Prizes page to learn more about how the prize system works.

Question: What are the odds of winning the top prize (El Gordo)?

Answer: The odds of winning the El Gordo prize are 1 in 100,000.

Question: If I win an El Gordo Navidad prize, how long do I have to claim it?

Answer: El Gordo Navidad prizes expire three months after the date of the draw. Fortunately, if you play via a concierge you’ll be notified of your win straight away so that you can start the process of claiming your prize!

Question: Do I have to pay taxes on any El Gordo Navidad prize I might win?

Answer: Any El Gordo Navidad prize worth €40,000 or more will be subject to a Spanish tax of 20 percent.Players who win a prize after buying tickets via a concierge will need to talk to a financial adviser in their area to see if they owe any additional taxes on their prize.

Question: Is there a minimum jackpot for El Gordo Navidad?

Answer: No - The total prize pool amount can change from year to year, as can the number of series and tickets on offer for El Gordo Navidad. For example, the 2020 prize pool is €2.4 billion compared to the €2.38 billion which was offered in 2019. However, all prizes within a series are fixed. So the El Gordo jackpot prize is always €4,000,000 per series.

Question: When will the next El Gordo Navidad be held?

Answer: 22nd December.

Question: What is the current value of the El Gordo Navidad prize pool?

Answer: The total prize pool for 2024 is €2,408,000,000.

Question: How much does it cost to buy an El Gordo Navidad ticket?

Answer: A full ticket costs €200, but a decimo (a tenth of a ticket) can be purchased for €20.