History of the Sorteo de Navidad (Spain’s Christmas Lottery)

December 21, 2021 00:19:12
History of the Sorteo de Navidad (Spain’s Christmas Lottery)
Brian's Spain Domain
History of the Sorteo de Navidad (Spain’s Christmas Lottery)

Dec 21 2021 | 00:19:12

/

Show Notes

Every December 22, much of Spain braces itself for a 3-hour televised event that few people in the the world would associate with this festive season: a chance to make their Yuletide just a little bit cheerier by winning the annual Christmas lottery. This is a tradition that goes back over 200 years, believe it or not, and it is estimated that over 75% of the adult population in Spain plays; and with a total payout of 2.4 billion euros, many consider it the largest in the world. More than a celebration of gambling, it’s a deeply-rooted custom that not even the Spanish Civil War could stop. Learn more about its history in this week’s podcast. Enjoy!

You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, check us out at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain

Other Episodes

Episode

December 03, 2025 00:15:36
Episode Cover

Maricarmen Says No

Just recently an 87-year-old woman got national attention for being on the verge of eviction because she cannot afford a 275% rent increase. For...

Listen

Episode

December 27, 2025 00:21:31
Episode Cover

Christmas Lottery Mayhem

The village of Villamanín in the province of León has experienced recently moments of immense joy followed by days of confusion, anger and frustration....

Listen

Episode 0

March 21, 2022 00:16:21
Episode Cover

SPANISH HISTORY 101 EP. 11 – The Barbarians Come on the Scene

The painting we see in this podcast was the creation of Ulpiano Checa, from Spain, and it is a famous depiction of how the...

Listen