Luck smiles in Madrid: the jackpot (79,432) falls in a mysterious entity
A family-run lottery office on the outskirts of Madrid has sold 16 series of the first prize, and the second prize (70,048) has also been won in the city.
Madrid / BarcelonaNeighbors queuing inside the butcher shop while others are already passing through with their shopping bags. Some are braving the freezing cold of this Monday in Madrid and going out for a stroll. And only a few, very few, are going specifically to number 8 Ricardo Ortiz Street, in the La Elipa neighborhood of Ciudad Lineal, to see who the lucky winner was who took home a few cents from the Christmas Lottery jackpot. Because this year luck has smiled on the Spanish capital: not only has the first prize been won in its entirety (except for a tiny bit in León), but the second prize has also been won.
Most of the pedestrians watching the scene at lottery outlet number 246, the one that sold this year's jackpot, leave with the same lack of luck they've had with the lottery this year, or at least with the first prize. "How boring!" laments Pilar, a lifelong resident of the neighborhood, who hadn't bought a single lottery ticket this year and who has sold as many as 16 series of the number 79,432. The truth, however, is that this Monday the lucky winners of the Christmas Lottery jackpot remained a mystery. Therefore, the atmosphere outside the lottery office in this Madrid suburb – "we're a working-class neighborhood," says Pilar – was marked by the contrast between the normalcy of the residents, most of whom had missed out on the prize, and the excitement of the dozen or so media outlets that had gathered at the entrance.
The first prize in the Christmas Lottery was drawn at 11:55 a.m., filling the pockets of the lucky winners with €400,000 per ticket. Almost all of the tickets for the number 79,432 were sold at a "cultural organization dedicated to the arts" in the Ambajadores neighborhood in central Madrid, explains Esther Lancha, the manager of the lottery outlet. Early in the morning, she asked if she could reveal their name to the press, but ultimately decided against it. For a while, there were rumors that it might be Isegoría, an independent association "for analysis and critical reflection for a more democratic, just, and egalitarian society." But it was ultimately not included in the lottery results. "The customer came in and told me they wanted a 2, and I gave them that number," Lancha explains about the buyers, who wish to remain anonymous. She gave them 16 series of the number 79,432, which the organization then sold in shares for €4 each. "It's sure to be widely distributed," says the shop owner. The prize pays out €20,000 for every euro wagered. The few tickets that weren't sold by the lottery company were returned to them, and she's been selling them herself these last few days from the counter.
Although she regrets that the prize hasn't reached her neighborhood, Lancha can't hide her euphoria at having sold the winning ticket for the first time since her family has run the lottery office for almost 40 years, and at wearing the t-shirt commemorating the first prize awarded by the Lo branch. Her parents took over the business when she was 5 years old. "I grew up with this business," she recalls, her voice filled with emotion. Since they retired, she's been running it. This familiarity will be reflected in the celebration: "We were planning to have lunch at home, all together, and that's what we'll do," she explains.
The draw started at 9:00 a.m., and just a few minutes later, the Spanish capital had already experienced good fortune. The second prize, number 70048, was drawn at 9:21 a.m. and also went directly to Madrid: in this case, the winners will take home €125,000 for each ticket they hold. "Look, Pepa! If you want to be on TV, today's your day," Pilar says to a neighbor passing by the lottery office. Ultimately, everyone sees luck where they want it to.
The second prize, also in Madrid
With the third prize, luck changed. The number 90,693 was widely distributed, and Sant Boi de Llobregat collected several million euros. The same lottery office that sold the second prize last year was responsible for selling up to 15 series of the third prize this year. A whole series was also sold in El Prat de Llobregat and another in Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Sant Boi also won a share of one of the fourth prizes. The number 25,508 was also sold in this municipality, in Arenys de Mar and Barcelona, as well as other locations in Spain. The other fourth prize was drawn this morning. The number 78,477, which awarded 20,000 euros per ticket, was sold widely and also reached municipalities such as Badalona (where 10 series were sold) and Olot (with one series sold). The lottery office in Olot that sold this fourth prize is the same one that sold the second prize in the same town two years ago.
The fifth prizes were more widely distributed
At 10:30, two fifth-prize winning numbers were drawn in quick succession. First, 23112, which appeared in Catalonia with a few series, landed in Sort, Porqueres, and Barcelona. The lucky winners will receive €6,000 for each ticket. The other fifth-prize winning number, 60649, smiled on Montgat and Viladecans. "So far, no one has come to celebrate," explains Jordi, an employee at the lottery office on Gran Via in Barcelona that sold one of these winning tickets. The cava is still chilled in the refrigerator, waiting for a winner to come forward. "Many people prefer not to share it," comments Eli, another employee.
The third fifth-prize winning number, 77715, went mainly to Burgos, Zaragoza, and Alicante. The fourth fifth-prize winning number, 25412, was sold in Málaga and Madrid. And 61366 was sold in Barcelona, Hospitalet, and (again) Madrid. The number 94.273 landed in Huesca, Teruel, and Madrid. The penultimate fifth number, 41.716, again showered Madrid, although Tarragona also managed to secure a few points. The last fifth number drawn, 18.669, landed mostly in Alicante.
