El Gordo-The World’s Largest Jackpot!

Posted on December 21st, 2008

Spain’s biggest lottery, El Gordo (The Fat One) has an astounding jackpot of 2.3 billion Euros About $3 billion USD) making it one of the largest lottery jackpots in the world. Spaniards have been waiting in lines to buy lottery tickets for as long as 2 hours in freezing weather. Despite a down economy in the Eurozone lottery players are snapping up 20 Euro ($27 USD) tickets.

Spain is suffering the worst unemployment rate in Europe, at 12.8 per cent. Madrid lottery worker Dona Manolita said, Some people are buying more than one ticket. They are risking all they have in the hope that they can win a little money and solve their problems.”

Gambling is popular in Spain and almost every bar the fruit machine is a fixture and there is a lottery booth on almost every street. Mrs. Ramirez is typical of the spirit at large in Spain. “I have spent the same on lottery tickets as at other periods when there have been economic difficulties,” she said. “You have to put a brave face on bad times and carry on hoping.”

Figures for El Gordo lottery ticket sales have not been released by the State Lottery and Betting organization but sales have increased since the collapse of Spain’s construction sector last year. Sales of the Euro millions lottery rose by 16 %on 2007 and the Spring Gordo lottery sales increased by 9%.

The Christmas lottery draw is traditionally the largest and attracts millions of Spaniards as well as bettors from around the world all hoping to win what is one of the largest lottery jackpots in the world. In a sign that Spain’s economic woes have hit El Gordo, companies that traditionally gave tickets to employees as Christmas presents have bought fewer this year.

Professor Roberto Garcia, of the Carlos III University, in Madrid, who has carried out a study of lotteries, believes El Gordo has been relatively unaffected by the economic downturn because it brought society together and reinforced “friendship and community spirit”.

The El Gordo jackpot easily surpasses the highest jackpots paid out by such famous US lotteries such as the Powerball and Mega Millions multi state lotteries. So far there has been no word whether any El Gordo ticket sales have come from the US but it would not be surprising in the least.

El Gordo allows the sale of online lottery tickets through its website. Players can log on and make an instant online lottery purchase. US players are welcome and El Gordo offers some of the biggest lottery jackpots on the planet.