Spain's Christmas $3.25 billion lottery spreads riches, cheer to wildfire-hit areas

MADRID - Spain's Christmas lottery showered 2.77 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in prizes on Monday, with a significant number of winners of the top award, "El Gordo" (The Fat One) living in Leon province that was ravaged by wildfires earlier this year.

"After the terrible summer we've been through with the wildfires, which was horrible, I'm very emotional - it's overwhelming, I can hardly believe it," lottery winner Laura told radio station SER.

The state-run draw's total prize pot edged up from last year's 2.70 billion euros.

In the nationally televised draw at Madrid's Teatro Real, pupils from San Ildefonso school picked the winning numbers from two revolving globes, a tradition dating back more than 200 years that marks the start of Spain's festive season.

Audience members queued for hours to enter, wearing Santa hats, regional costumes and their personal lucky charms.

The draw was briefly interrupted when a small group of protesters stood up inside the theatre, shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, before the ceremony resumed.

Lottery mania grips Spain in the weeks leading up to the Christmas draw, with families, friends and co-workers pooling money for tickets or fractions of tickets, often favoring "lucky" vendors or numbers.

Spaniards spend an average of 66.6 euros on El Gordo tickets, according to vendors' association Anapal. The best-selling ticket, dubbed "decimo" (tenth), costs 20 euros and its holders can earn 10% of the prize money awarded.

($1 = 0.8524 euros)

 Jesus Calero/Reuters