I can become really really rich today. But the possibility is so small (1/85,000) that, as every 22nd December, I will say: "Bé, el que és important és tenir salut" (The most important thing it to be healthy) or "Bé, almenys tinc salut" (Weeeeeell, at least I am healthy). Therefore, rather than National Big Lottery or "La Grossa" -Catalan- or "El Gordo" -Spanish- (literally "The fat one") it is the day of "Health" in Spain today. La Grossa is the most popular lottery in the whole of Spain.
The first prize, el Gordo or la Grossa, is 3 million € per series of tenth share tickets (i.e.: 300,000 € per ticket). There is also a second prize, a third prize, two fourth prizes, eight fifth prizes and "la pedrea", worth 100 euro per ticket. There also other minor prizes.
The first prize, el Gordo or la Grossa, is 3 million € per series of tenth share tickets (i.e.: 300,000 € per ticket). There is also a second prize, a third prize, two fourth prizes, eight fifth prizes and "la pedrea", worth 100 euro per ticket. There also other minor prizes.
Considering that prizes are given per series, which are divided into ten dècims (CA)/décimos (ES) (tenth share tickets) -which can be further divided into "participacions"- and that there are 195 series of each number imagine: a) the quantity of existing tickets in every draw and b) how much money the state gives away for the draw (2,142 million €) -in any case benefits are always higher for the State :P.
The draw's origin goes back to 1812, and it originally was a way for the state to increase its budget. Soon this became a tradition. In 1892 got its official Spanish name "Sorteo extraordinario de Navidad" (Extraordinary Christmas Draw) and from 1893 onwards it is celebrated every 22nd December. The most curious thing about this draw is the way it is done. Students of the San Ildelfonso boarding school in Madrid aged 8 to 14 literally sing the numbers and the prizes. It is a very typical and characteristic melody and if you listen to it for the whole morning (like I did today) you can become crazy: the draw lasts 3h 30 min. Here you have a small sample from a previous year:
How was it like? (hehe) And this ONLY two minutes...
After the draw...
This year, as every year, I did not win a single euro and I lost 20 € in buying a dècim. 62,307 is not a lucky number...neither it was last year :P. Anyway...I am lucky because I am healthy :D. The only time I ever won anything was with some "participacions" my aunt gave me. I won 5,000 pesetas...so imagine how back in time that was...we still had pesetas, not yet euro. By the way 5,000 pesetas is the mega quantity of....30 euro!!! (I think I prefer to say it in pesetas...there are more zeros and it seems to be more money than 30 euro :P)
Not a lucky number this yearI think next year I might buy the number in "La bruixa d'or" (The golden witch) lottery ticket shop in Sort, a small village in the Catalan Pyrenees. The reason? For two years they were the sellers of la Grossa and the village name, Sort, is also the Catalan word for luck. Curious, isn't it?
2 comentaris:
Oh man, that "tune" is now stuck in my head. :)
This reminds me of a hoax that El Follonero did when he hired a woman to pretend like she had the winning ticket that was accidentally torn up in the wash and she was waving it around in a plastic ziplock.
I can't believe you saw the woman...hahaha!!! EVERYONE IN SPAIN BELIEVED IT!!!! Even all the news programme...and then they had to say it was a joke from the follonero's show. SHE was really good acting :D:D! (Nothing like that this year...)
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