By Letara Draghia •
Updated: 28 Nov 2024 • 12:12 • 4 minutes read
After moving to Spain and hopefully settling in nicely, you might be curious about how the national lottery works here.
The lottery is deeply embedded in Spanish culture, offering both locals and expats a variety of games with small to very large monetary prizes. From weekly draws to seasonal extravaganzas, here’s an essential guide to navigating Spain’s lotteries and scratch cards.
An overview of Spanish lotteries
Spain’s lottery system is diverse, featuring national draws, scratch cards, and even lotteries tied to football results or horse racing. Loterías y Apuestas del Estado operates most national lotteries, while ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles) runs games supporting the blind and disabled.
To play the lottery in Spain you must be at least 18 years old, and you can purchase tickets from official lottery outlets, ONCE kiosks or authorised sellers.
How to play: Choose 6 numbers from 1 to 49 or opt for a “lucky dip”
Draws: Held Thursdays and Saturdays
Winning: Match all 6 numbers; smaller prizes are available for fewer matches.
Bonoloto
Draws: Monday through to Friday
Winning odds: Higher frequency makes this a cost-effective option.
El Gordo de Navidad
What it is: Known as “The Fat One,” this Christmas lottery is a national tradition
Tickets: Split into décimos (tenths); each one costs €20
Odds of winning: 1 in 6 – considered among the best globally.
El Niño
What it is: The second-largest draw, held on 6th January
Prizes: Lower amounts but more frequent payouts than El Gordo.
EuroMillions
What it is: A European lottery (including the UK) with massive jackpots starting at €15 million
Draws: Tuesdays and Fridays
Note: Tickets must be claimed in the country of purchase.
Recently, a British couple won a whopping €61 million while holidaying in The Canary Islands.
What it is: Lototurf combines traditional lottery number selection with horse racing. Players select 6 numbers from a pool of 31 (numbers 1 to 31) and choose a horse numbered between 1 and 12, corresponding to the winner of the 4th race in the associated Turf event.
The draw determines 6 winning numbers and the winning horse. Prizes are awarded based on the number of correct numbers and the correct horse selection.
Quinigol:
What it is: Quinigol is a football-based betting game where players predict the exact scores of six pre-selected football matches.
For each match, players choose the number of goals each team will score, with options ranging from 0 to 9 goals, and an additional option for “M” representing 10 or more goals. Prizes are awarded based on the number of exact score predictions.
Quíntuple Plus:
What it is: Quíntuple Plus is a horse racing betting game where players predict the winners of the first five races in a designated horse racing event and the second-place finisher in the fifth race.
Players select one horse number (between 1 and 20) for each of the first five races and an additional horse number for the second-place finisher in the fifth race. Prizes are awarded based on the number of correct predictions.
La Quiniela
For football fans: Predict match outcomes (home win, draw, or away win)
When: Weekly during the football season.
ONCE Games
Charity-focused: Proceeds support the disabled
Options: Daily draws (Cupón Diario), weekend games (Fin de Semana), and occasional special tickets with prizes up to €9 million.
Scratch cards in Spain
Spain’s scratch cards have various themes and prices range from around €0.50 to €5.
Small prizes (€600 or less): Collect directly from ticket sellers.
Larger prizes: Claim at a bank (e.g., Banco de España). Bring I.D.
Deadlines: Typically, winnings must be claimed within 60-90 days.
Taxes to pay on lottery or scratch card winnings in Spain
In Spain, lottery and scratch card winnings are subject to specific tax regulations. As of 2024, prizes from lotteries such as those organized by the state, autonomous communities, ONCE, and the Spanish Red Cross are subject to a 20 per cent tax on the any amount exceeding €40,000. This means that the first €40,000 of any prize is tax-exempt, as reported by Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency).
These tax obligations apply to both residents and non-residents of Spain. Non-residents should also be aware of potential tax liabilities in their home countries and consider any applicable double taxation treaties between Spain and their country of residence.
Tips for playing the lottery in Spain
All results are available online, but official checks are done at lottery offices. Remember to keep your tickets in a safe place, a lost ticket could mean a lost win.
If you win, official lotteries do not ask for fees to release your winnings. Taxes or other deductions are typically subtracted from the prize amount before you receive it.
Be wary of messages informing you of a lottery win, especially if you haven t entered. Scammers often use names of legitimate lotteries to deceive individuals. For example, fraudsters have misused the name “El Gordo” to conduct scams.
Avoid providing personal or financial details in response to unsolicited communications claiming lottery wins. Cross-check any unexpected prize notifications with official lottery organizations to confirm their legitimacy.
Gambling addiction is a growing concern. If you or someone you know struggles with responsible play, consider seeking help from local support groups.
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