"Dupla" on Mallorca: a one-euro ticket that creates jobs

"Dupla" on Mallorca: a one-euro ticket that creates jobs

A small ticket, big social impact

At the kiosk on Plaça d'Espanya, when the espresso is still steaming and the sun lies low over the tracks, someone often stands with a stack of ticket booklets in hand. A new booklet has recently appeared: "Dupla", the one-euro ticket from the Spanish blind organization ONCE. Anyone who buys a ticket in Palma, in Portixol or in one of the smaller towns on the island immediately knows what amount they would win in case of a hit — and can later follow with a bit of suspense whether the drawn number appears.

The game works simply: from the numbers 1 to 15 the player chooses a number; a ticket costs one euro. The draws run several times a day — from morning into the evening — and possible payouts go up to 500 euros. The organization reports that roughly every fifth ticket wins at least one prize. The new product is sold through ONCE's nationwide distribution network: more than 21,000 sales outlets, plus online offerings and partner shops.

Why this matters for Mallorca: ONCE is not simply a lottery operator. More than 50 million euros in prizes flowed to the Balearics last year, and the local structure is being actively expanded. In 2025 the organization hired 70 new sellers on the islands; in total, they say around 543 people work there as sellers. Regional managers emphasized at the presentation that introducing Dupla is about both revenue and employment — two pillars that together support the organization's social work.

You can see this on the ground: sellers, many wearing reflective vests or carrying small umbrellas, stand on street corners, at markets and along shopping streets. For people with visual impairments the jobs offered by ONCE often mean financial independence and everyday prospects that are harder to find elsewhere. This situation is explored in When One Job Isn't Enough: Why People in Mallorca Often Work Multiple Shifts.

The product itself tries to combine two needs: the immediate thrill at purchase — you find out the possible prize right away — and the little excitement later at the draw. Five draws per day create regular moments when people pause, check their ticket and maybe share a laugh with a seller. For one euro such a short moment of luck can occur without high stakes.

The approach also makes economic sense: lotteries finance a large part of ONCE's activities, and new formats are intended to diversify these revenues. On Mallorca this concretely means more turnover for sales points and a greater chance that employment for people with disabilities can be maintained and expanded. That tension between tourism-driven employment and sustainability is explored in More Jobs from Tourism — but at What Cost? How the Labor Market on the Balearic Islands Is Changing, and regional training initiatives are examined in 4.5 Million for Training: Opportunity or Paper Money? A Critical Look from Mallorca.

A quick look ahead: if Dupla is well received, more kiosks and online channels could be more closely integrated with ONCE's structure. That does not mean everyone will win — lottery remains gambling — but the combination of simple rules, a low entry barrier and visible social impact makes the offer attractive on Mallorca. And personally: next time you walk past a market stall in Santa Catalina, you might hear the familiar rustle of ticket booklets and see how work for people with visual impairments becomes visible in the middle of the city.

Why this is good for Mallorca: The ticket combines entertainment with concrete local employment. It brings small moments of luck into everyday life while at the same time strengthening people who are often pushed to the margins of the labor market. Those who participate therefore support not only the hope of a prize but also jobs in the neighborhood.