Small Towns in León Province Share €468 Million from El Gordo Lottery First Prize
La Bañeza, a small town with a population of around 11,000, shared in a €468 million payout from the El Gordo lottery first-prize winnings. The winning number was 79432, and a single décimo ticket costing €20 yields €400,000 if drawn. Many tickets were sold in multiple strips to groups, generating large jackpots.
Most first-prize tickets were bought by people in small towns in León province, including Villablino, which received €200 million, La Pola de Gordón, which received €60 million, and a working-class district in Madrid that received €64 million.
This windfall comes four months after wildfires in León burned 8,000 hectares and tragically killed a local man named Abel Ramos, aged 35. The wildfire season notably affected the northwest of Spain that year, burning about 0.8% of Spain's total area.
Javier Carrera, mayor of La Bañeza, described the prize as an injection of excitement and hope, especially significant following the closure of a local sugar-beet factory that caused dozens of job losses.
In Villablino, Maribel Martín won €400,000. She was notified of her win while shopping and plans to spread the money and enjoy life. Meanwhile, two mining accidents in nearby Asturias caused the deaths of five men. Mayor Mario Rivas commented that while the prize cannot replace the losses suffered, it provides a glimmer of good news.
