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Six differences between the El Niño Lottery and the Christmas Lottery in Spain

Lotería del Niño 6 Jan 2006, #99666. Photo: Álvaro Ibáñez Some Rights Reserved

    The El Niño awards are lower than in El Gordo, but in return there are more prize winners

    The Lotería del Niño, is celebrated each year on Los Reyes, January 6. This draw was first held in 1941 and from that date until 1998, it was held on January 5, coinciding with the Noche de Los Reyes (Three Kings Night / Twelfth Night). 

    1. The El Niño Lottery draw is held by the modern system, that is, there is a drum for each of the digits that make up a number, drawn for each programmed prize. The Christmas Gordo Draw is carried out by the traditional system: a drum in which all the numbers are drawn and another drum with the prizes, with which prize going to that number also being determined by chance.
    2. The issue for the El Niño draw is much lower than the Christmas Draw, with 45 series, versus 160. However, the number of numbers drawn is the same: 100,000. That brings the odds down to 1 in 900 million compared to 3,200.
    3. The El Niño prizes are lower. The first prize of the El Niño awards a tenth (one ticket = a tenth of a strip) with 200,000 euros, half that of the Gordo de Navidad. The second prize is 75,000 euros (compared to 125,000 at Christmas) and the third is 25,000 euros (half of the 50,000 euros on December 22). There are no fourth or fifth prizes.
    4. In the Lotería del Niño there are three reimbursements: the completion of the first prize —as at Christmas— and two other special reimbursements.
    5. You are more likely to win a prize in El Niño than in the Christmas Lottery. While El Gordo awards less than a 7th of the numbers, on Three Kings Day, a third of the tickets win a prize.
    6. The Christmas draw opens up the Christmas holidays for Spaniards, on the contrary, the El Niño draw closes the festivities. 

    Las seis diferencias entre el Sorteo del Niño y el de Navidad

    Tenerife Land of Eternal Christmas

    Sunbathing SantaDesert Island ChristmasScuba Diving SantaTropical Santa
    Santa's Having a Whale of a TimeSurfing SantaWaterski SantaCamel Rodeo Santa
    With a wide range of products in each design, click the pics (above) to see the full selections.