A sense of anticipation hangs over Alfafar, Manises, and Quart de Poblet today—one that’s hard to put into words. Not long ago, these towns were at the center of tragedy: in the fall of 2024, a devastating DANA claimed dozens of lives and left destruction in its wake. But now, in early January, locals are buzzing about something entirely different—millions of euros brought to the area by the El Niño lottery.
At O’Tonel bar in Alfafar, no one yet knows who landed the top prize. But that hasn’t stopped people from celebrating with their neighbors. Emma Stepanyan, who works there, explains that dozens have come in throughout the morning to share the news: “Today is a day to celebrate, even if we didn’t win ourselves. After everything we’ve been through, it feels like a breath of fresh air.”
The winning ticket
The top prize in El Niño—two million euros per series—went to ticket number 6,703. This ticket was sold in several towns across the Valencian Community, including Alfafar, Manises, and Quart de Poblet. In Alfafar, both local lottery offices were closed in the middle of the day, but that didn’t stop a surge of congratulations and cheers out on the streets.
Lottery agent José Hernández from Alfafar is convinced: “This year, luck didn’t find us by accident. After what we went through last autumn, people here deserve a bit of happiness.” He recalls that last year their administration had already handed out big Christmas winnings, and now it was El Niño’s turn. No one knows yet exactly how many lucky tickets ended up in the hands of locals, since the tickets were sold both online and in person.
Manises and Quart de Poblet
In Manises, according to Rafael Sanchis, head of the third administration, seven winning tickets were sold—amounting to 1.4 million euros. All of them were sold online, so no one knows yet who has become richer. But Sanchis doesn’t hide his excitement: “We finished the campaign in style. Last month, we also had winners for the Christmas draw.”
In Quart de Poblet, for the first time in the history of the local lottery office, a ticket sold brought home the El Niño jackpot. José María Lendines, head of the second administration, admits he still can’t believe it. “I sold a whole series—twenty tickets. All of them went through the window, and I know they were bought by our neighbors. Right now, the streets are full of celebration.”
A stroke of luck
The lucky ticket number 6,703 was sold not only in these three cities. Among the winning towns were also Castelló de Rugat, Denia, Benidorm, Alicante, Burriana, Oliva, Paiporta, and about a dozen other localities. In Castelló de Rugat, a town of just 2,500 people, local lottery vendor Miguel Crespo couldn’t hide his excitement: “For the first time ever, we sold a ticket with the grand prize. For such a small town, this is the event of the year.”
In Alicante province, six towns became instant winners. In San Vicent del Raspeig, two administrations struck gold at once. Carmen Guijarro, the head of one office, shared: “We don’t know how many tickets we sold, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is, it’s our first big win. People are coming to congratulate us, and many don’t even know yet that they’ve come into money.”
Celebration after hardship
This year, El Niño became more than a lottery for the Valencian Community—it turned into a genuine symbol of hope. After the October disaster, when DANA brought devastation and grief, the residents of Alfafar, Manises, and Quart de Poblet got a chance to start the year with a smile. The money, of course, can’t undo the loss, but it can help rebuild homes, businesses, and most importantly, restore faith in a better future.
In each of these cities today, laughter and congratulations can be heard. People are out on the streets, sharing their joy and making plans for the future. Some are already dreaming of home renovations, others — of traveling, while some are simply happy that luck has finally smiled on their city. And even though no one knows exactly who won the millions, one thing is certain: this time, El Niño truly brought happiness where it was needed most.
