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More than two billion euros shelled out in Spanish lottery

December 22, 2014

Champagne corks have been popping across Spain as thousands celebrate a win in the biggest ever national Christmas lottery. The winning numbers were sung out by Madrid schoolchildren on live television.

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Spanien - Lotterie El Gordo
Image: Getty Images/Pablo Blazquez Dominguez

Prize winners in Spain's lottery, known as "El Gordo," were celebrating a share of 2.5 billion euros ($3 billion) on Monday.

Ticket holders with this year's top winning number - the Gordo itself, which translates as "Fat One" - won 400,000 euros each. There were also thousands of smaller cash prizes.

Unlike other big lotteries that generate just a few winners, Spain's Christmas draw aims to share the wealth, with thousands of numbers awarded a prize.

Tickets with the winning "Fat One" number were bought in different regions around the country, including in Madrid, Murcia and Valencia.

Live television draw

In line with tradition, children from a Madrid school chose wooden balls from two giant golden tumblers and then announced the numbers and the corresponding prize in song. The live television draw lasted four hours.

The Christmas lottery has been held without interruption since 1812, including during Spain's 1936-39 civil war, as each side held its own draw during the conflict.

lw/glb (AFP, AP)