Lottery fever has swept through Spain once again, this time bringing luck to a resident of the small Asturian village of Piedras Blancas. In Friday’s Euromillones draw held on January 2, a second category prize was recorded—a lucky winner received €181,127.33. The news caused a sensation among locals, as such large sums rarely make their way to small towns.
Piedras Blancas, part of the Laspre parish in the municipality of Castrillón, is known for its tranquility and picturesque scenery. Now this corner of Asturias has gained national attention thanks to the sudden stroke of luck for one of its residents. Locals are buzzing about who the big winner might be, and it’s quite possible that in the coming days the village will see a new car on the streets or renovations starting in one of the homes.
Spanish luck
But the surprises didn’t end there. That same evening in Barcelona, a winner was selected in the additional El Millón draw, which is traditionally held exclusively for Spanish Euromillones participants. The lucky ticket brought its owner exactly one million euros. Unlike the main draw, El Millón is determined by a random code automatically assigned to each ticket, making it especially appealing for those who believe in instant luck.
It’s worth noting that this time, the Euromillones jackpot was not won in any of the participating European countries. This means that in the next draw, which will take place on January 6, the jackpot will exceed 41 million euros. People in Spain are already making plans and discussing how they would spend such a substantial prize if luck were to smile on them.
History and Rules
Euromillones is more than just a lottery—it’s a true European phenomenon. The first draw took place in Paris in February 2004, when the national lotteries of France, Spain, and the United Kingdom joined the initiative. Over time, six more countries came on board, meaning that nine states now participate in the draw. The main idea is to unite players from across Europe in pursuit of a single, massive prize.
Draws are held twice a week—on Tuesdays and Fridays at 9:00 p.m. Spanish time. To take part, you need to choose five numbers from 1 to 50 and two ‘stars’ from 1 to 12. To hit the jackpot, you must match the entire combination, but even if luck is not entirely on your side, there are 12 additional prize categories. The minimum guaranteed prize fund is 17 million euros, and starting in 2024, the maximum cap has been raised to 250 million.
El Millón: exclusive to Spain
A special place in Spanish lottery culture belongs to El Millón — an additional drawing held alongside the main Euromillones draw. Every ticket automatically takes part in this raffle, with the winner determined by a unique code. This gives everyone a chance to win one million euros, regardless of whether the main numbers have been matched. This approach has made El Millón one of the most popular formats among Spaniards, as anyone who buys a ticket gets a shot at becoming a millionaire.
This time, the winning El Millón code is WTK97187. The ticket owner from Barcelona can now afford almost anything — from traveling the world to investing in real estate. Spaniards can’t stop discussing how life changes after such windfalls, and dream of swapping places with the fortunate winner.
Combinations and odds
In Friday’s draw, the winning combination was: 8, 27, 42, 44, and 46, with 1 and 10 as Lucky Stars. Despite no one claiming the top prize, thousands of participants across Europe received winnings in other categories. In Spain, lotteries remain one of the most popular ways to try one’s luck, with every new draw gathering millions of viewers in front of their screens.
Interestingly, in small towns and villages, lottery wins are met with especially strong emotions. Here, everyone knows each other, and news of a big prize quickly becomes the main topic of conversation. In Piedras Blancas, people are already speculating about who the lucky winner is and how their life will change after such an unexpected fortune.
