In Spain, December is traditionally associated with the Christmas Lottery (Lotería de Navidad). Every year on December 22, millions across the country eagerly await the draw, and many choose to buy tickets with friends, colleagues, or family rather than alone. A single ticket (décimo) costs 20 euros, and it’s common to split the ticket among several people to boost the odds or simply save money. However, despite seeming straightforward, buying a lottery ticket as a group can lead to serious problems if precautions aren’t taken beforehand.
The main feature of Spanish lottery tickets is that they are considered bearer documents. This means the prize can be claimed by whoever physically possesses the ticket at the time of collection. As a result, verbal agreements between participants carry no legal weight, and if a dispute arises, it will be extremely difficult to prove your share.
Written proof
To avoid unpleasant situations regarding prize division, experts always advise leaving a paper trail. The most reliable method is to make a copy of the ticket and give each participant a signed copy. The copy should include the name, surname, and document number (DNI) of each person involved, as well as the ticket number, series, fraction, the date of the drawing, and the amount each person contributed.
In recent years, it has become popular to send a photo of the ticket via messengers or email. In this case, it’s important to clearly state the details of all participants, their shares, and the name of the person holding the original. This method can serve as evidence if a dispute arises, but if the authenticity of the photo is questioned, you will have to prove that the image was not altered.
If the ticket was purchased online, the electronic receipt issued by the platform carries the same legal weight as a paper ticket. Additionally, you can pay your share via bank transfer or mobile services like Bizum, leaving a record of the transaction. This also helps confirm that the ticket was indeed bought with joint funds.
Signatures on the ticket
Some participants prefer to sign the ticket itself, writing the names and ID numbers of everyone involved and their shares on the back. However, this method does not guarantee protection: by law, whoever holds the ticket has the right to claim the winnings, regardless of what is written on the back. Signatures do not invalidate the ticket, but they also do not confirm the right to the winnings for all participants.
Therefore, experts advise not to rely solely on signatures on the ticket, but to use additional ways to document agreements—such as copies, photographs, emails, or bank transfers. This helps avoid conflicts and maintain good relationships even in the event of a major win.
Claiming Your Winnings
If luck is on your side and your ticket wins, it’s important to correctly claim your prize. First, you’ll need to specify all participants and their shares at the bank. Typically, the bank transfers the entire amount to one participant’s account, who then distributes the funds. However, if all recipients aren’t listed up front, any further distribution may be considered a gift, potentially leading to gift tax liability.
Lottery winnings up to €2,000 can be claimed at any official lottery ticket sales point. For amounts exceeding this threshold, you’ll need to contact a bank. The state withholds a 20% tax on winnings over €40,000. After tax is deducted, the remaining amount is divided among participants according to their shares.
Important details
You should never entrust the entire sum to one person without proper documentation. If all the money is deposited into their account and then distributed among others, tax authorities may consider this a gift, which would result in additional taxes. That’s why it’s important to agree in advance on how the winnings will be received and distributed to avoid unpleasant consequences.
It’s also important to remember that no lottery retailer or bank has the right to charge a commission for paying out winnings. All payouts are made free of charge, regardless of the amount. If someone demands a fee for giving you your winnings, this is a violation of the law.
Tips for participants
Before purchasing a ticket, discuss all the details with the other participants: who will keep the ticket, how shares will be documented, how payment will be made, and how you plan to claim the winnings. It’s better to spend a few minutes on paperwork now than argue about money later.
If disputes or suspicions of fraud arise, any evidence—copies of tickets, correspondence, bank transfers—can be crucial in court. That’s why you shouldn’t neglect these simple precautionary measures.
