Spain’s 2026 Lotería de Navidad will distribute a record €2.87 billion in prizes on December 22, up €98 million from the previous year. Loterías y Apuestas del Estado (LAE) has released 205 million tickets for sale. This year’s draw will feature 205 series, seven more than in 2025, with 100,000 numbers in each series. Total ticket sales are set at €4.1 billion, with 70% allocated to prizes.
At the launch of the summer campaign, Jesús Huerta, president of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, announced that the 2026 draw will use entirely new prize balls and numbers. The first prize, known as the “Gordo,” will award €4 million per series, or €400,000 per décimo. The second prize is €1.25 million per series (€125,000 per décimo), while the third prize is €500,000 per series (€50,000 per décimo). The Christmas Lottery marks its 214th anniversary this year.
Huerta emphasized the tradition’s deep roots in Spanish society and the importance of preserving its legacy for future generations. He said the event unites the country around shared values and supports more than a million vulnerable people each year through its proceeds. The 2026 ticket design features the central panel of the triptych “La Anunciación, la Natividad y la Presentación en el Templo” by Maestro de las Medias Figuras, a work from the Museo Nacional del Prado.
The Christmas draw is one part of LAE’s wider games programme, with results published separately for each product and draw date. In October 2026, the operator reported that the winning number in the October 17 Lotería Nacional draw was 23123. Its October 20 Euromillones results recorded €7,783,373.40 in ticket sales and €3,891,686.70 in prizes.
Many Spaniards see the Christmas Lottery as a basic part of the festive season, and the additional tickets and larger prize fund are expected to boost participation. Spain’s retail sector is also seeing impressive activity this summer, as major chains launch seasonal sales and new EU tariffs affect online shopping, as detailed in this recent report on summer discounts and import changes.
The Lotería de Navidad is recognized as one of the world’s oldest and largest lotteries. Its annual draw is broadcast live and watched by millions. Schoolchildren’s singing of the winning numbers has become a hallmark of Spanish Christmas celebrations.
