SPAIN’S annual Christmas lottery could get even fatter after ticket sellers for El Gordo called on the government to increase the draw’s top prize in line with inflation.
Every December, millions of Spaniards hold their breath and watch on in hope of striking it rich as children from a Madrid school sing out winning five-digit numbers drawn from a lottery machine – each of which are divided into 172 series, which themselves consist of ten decimos.
The festive tradition began in 1812 as a way of funding Spanish troops fighting Napoleon’s army – but Spain’s lottery shops say it is time to change.
They want the price of a decimo ticket – currently €20 each – to rise by €5, with the top prize upped from €400,000 to €500,000.
“The jackpot hasn’t changed in 14 years, while prices have climbed about 26%,” complained Borja Muniz, president of ANAPAL, a group representing Spain’s 4,100 lottery shops.
“Before, you could buy two apartments with it. Now it barely covers one,” he told Reuters.
ANAPAL have sent their proposal to the state-run lottery agency and budget ministry, which will have the final say on whether the ‘Fat One’ will become plumper.
READ MORE: What is El Gordo? Spain’s national Christmas lottery takes place this weekend
They also want their commission on El Gordo sales to increase from 4.5% to 6%, in line with other national lottery draws.
Lottery ticket sellers warn that inflation and the rising cost-of-living have eaten into their profits.
Currently, the top El Gordo prize sits at €400,000.
The second prize is €125,000 and the third is €50,000.
There are also two fourth place prizes of €20,000, followed by eight fifth prizes of €6,000, while 1,794 people will win €100 each.
An estimated 70% of Spaniards aged 18 or over buy a ticket for the lottery every year.
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