Every December in Madrid, thousands of eyes are fixed on the stage of the Teatro Real, where the Christmas Lottery draw takes place. The event lasts three and a half to four hours, but everyone is waiting for just one moment — when the children from San Ildefonso school announce the number that will win El Gordo, the top prize. Over the past ten years, the lucky ticket has been revealed at different times, from the very beginning to almost the end of the ceremony.
In 2019, luck came especially early: just eight minutes after the start, at 09:19, the winning number 26590 was announced. This was the second-fastest El Gordo reveal in the lottery’s history, surpassed only by the 2004 record when the winning number was called five minutes after the start. That year, ticket 54600 won.
Records and expectations
In 2025, the intrigue didn’t last long: at 10:45 am, Alba Yadira Machaca and Italy Andrea Blanco performed the long-awaited song, announcing number 79432. The year before, in 2024, El Gordo was drawn a bit later — at 11:27, when Piero Rai and Alisce Ríos announced ticket 72480 as the winner. That was noticeably earlier than in 2023, when the grand prize appeared only at 13:16, nearly at the very end of the draw. That day, Yesica Paola Valencia and Francisco Moreno called out number 88008, setting the record for the latest El Gordo announcement in history.
In 2022, the winning number 05490 was called at 11:20, and in 2021 the draw revealed 86148 at 12:15. During the pandemic in 2020, it was not until 12:02 that it was revealed that 72897 claimed the top prize. In the past ten years, only once has El Gordo been announced before 10 am — that famous occasion in 2019.
Trends of the Decade
In 2015, ticket number 79140 was called at 12:13 p.m., while in 2016, 66513 was announced at 11:57 a.m. In 2017, the Gordo went to ticket 71198, which was announced at 11:54 a.m., and in 2018, ticket 03347 was revealed after noon, at 12:37 p.m. As a result, the appearance time of the main prize varies each year, making it impossible to predict: it can be drawn either at the very start or closer to the end of the ceremony.
Every year, the Teatro Real opens its doors for the draw precisely at 9:00 a.m. For four hours, children from San Ildefonso take turns singing out ticket numbers and prize amounts, distributing millions of euros. In 2025, the total prize fund reached a record €2.772 billion—covering 198 ticket series. For comparison, in 2024, €2.59 billion (185 series) was distributed. The largest prize—the Gordo—awards €4 million per series, or €400,000 for a single ticket.
The Magic of the Moment
Among the many numbers and sums announced in the hall, it is the announcement of the Gordo that always sparks a special excitement. At that moment, silence falls over the audience, followed by an explosion of joy for those holding the winning ticket. Over the past ten years, this moment has sometimes arrived unexpectedly early, and other times has kept everyone in suspense until the finale. But each time, it has become the highlight of the day for the entire country.
