Spanish Villagers in La Bañeza Win €468 Million in El Gordo Lottery After a Challenging Year
The town of La Bañeza in Castilla y León, Spain, has won a staggering €468 million in the El Gordo Christmas lottery, marking a moment of hope after a difficult year. Approximately 117 series of the winning number were sold in La Bañeza, a town with a population of around 10,000.
This financial windfall comes after a major forest fire in August devastated the region, destroying about 55,000 hectares, killing three people, and displacing 8,000 residents. The lottery win coincides with tragedy in nearby Villablino, where five men lost their lives in a mining accident in March; they are also set to benefit from the lottery winnings.
The El Gordo lottery features 100,000 different numbers, each repeated across 198 series. Each décimo costs €20 and yields €400,000 per winning décimo. The prize was celebrated by Mayor Javier Carrera, who described the event as a cascade of emotions following such a terrible year for the community.
The Christmas lottery draw is a traditional event conducted by children from the San Ildefonso school in Madrid and includes thousands of smaller prizes alongside the main winnings.
