When All of Spain Listens to the Numbers: The Christmas Lottery and What It Means for Mallorca

When All of Spain Listens to the Numbers: The Christmas Lottery and What It Means for Mallorca

On 22 December 2025 the children's choir will sing again – and in Mallorca people get through the pauses between numbers with espressos and ensaimadas

On a cold morning in Palma you can already see groups of men with newspapers and thermoses standing in front of the kiosks on Carrer de Sant Miquel, as kiosks in Palma are filling up again. The air smells of coffee and baked ensaimada, and soft Christmas music drifts from a bar on Plaça Major, part of Palma's seasonal program. Today is the draw of the Spanish Christmas Lottery, commonly called "El Gordo", and the island feels it: at the bakery, in taxis, at the bus stop – everyone is checking tickets, talking, hoping.

The draw officially begins at 9:00 a.m. and is broadcast live from the Teatro Real in Madrid. Two golden lottery drums take turns turning: one holds the winning numbers, the other the prize tiers. Traditionally, a children's choir from the San Ildefonso boarding school in Madrid sings the drawn numbers and prize ranks – a quirky, touching mix of lottery and Advent custom that makes the event special for many.

For 2025 the total payout is nearly €2.8 billion, and the main prize, the eponymous "El Gordo", is four million euros this year. Such sums spark dreams in small neighborhoods like Santa Catalina or Port d'Alcúdia: a new roof, a bill paid off, maybe a gift for the grandchildren. On the island it's often not individuals but neighborhoods and coworkers who share a whole ticket portion – the so-called "peña" brings people together, even if the prize is small.

Why is this good for Mallorca? It's more than money. The lottery brings people together. Local kiosks, tobacconists and community centers experience a December boost because décimos are bought and tickets are exchanged. Bars and cafés fill up in the morning and the mood gets louder, lighter. A small win, fifty euros, brings more noise and hugs that day than in other weeks. That lifts spirits and sends small, tangible impulses through the local economy.

Those who want to play can find tickets nationwide at authorized retailers. On Mallorca these are the familiar kiosks in the neighborhoods, market stalls at Mercat de l'Olivar or the little neighborhood booth at the harbor, and the Christmas shop-window competition reflects the island's festive displays. For many it is also customary to buy a specific ticket share or the number of a deceased relative – rituals that connect the end of the year and community.

Practical tip for the island: if you don't want to play alone, you can join a local group or share tickets with friends. That keeps the stake moderate and increases the chance of at least a small win. And very important: play consciously. A ticket can bring joy, but it is no substitute for long-term financial planning.

At the end of the day it's often about stories: the family that suddenly plans a small dream trip overnight, the corner café that buys a round of drinks, or the pensioner who is known to buy the same number every December. These stories add a chapter to the island's chronicle about togetherness and small joys.

When the first notes of the children's choir ring out through the TV at nine, many Mallorcans will raise their cups, have their tickets ready and listen along. Whether a big win or just a few euros: for that morning the island turns into a place where people are quicker to give a smile to a stranger.

Outlook: The draw is a ritual that connects. If you are rooting along today, take it as an invitation: a little courage to dream, a piece of shared luck – and maybe afterwards a round of coffee for the neighborhood. That way the holiday is not just a TV broadcast but a Mallorcan event.