Independent Spanish lottery information · Reviewed 13 October 2026
Official Spanish Lotteries: Every SELAE and ONCE Game Explained
Spain does not have one “Spanish lottery”. It has a wide mix of state lotteries, number games, European draws and ONCE games, run mainly by two organisations: SELAE, the state lottery operator, and ONCE, the organisation whose games fund work for blind and partially sighted people. This page sorts every official game by type, so you know what you are buying before you buy it.
Independent information · 18+ · Not affiliated with SELAE or ONCE · Some links are commercial
- Main operators
- SELAE and ONCE
- Christmas draw
- 22 December
- El Niño
- 6 January
- Game types
- 4 categories
All Official Spanish Lotteries in One Table
The games below are sold through Spain’s official channels. Draw days are the regular schedule; holiday weeks and special draws can shift.
| Lottery | Operator | Type | When | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotería Nacional | SELAE | Pre-numbered tickets | Thursday and Saturday | You buy a ticket with a number already printed on it, sold in décimos |
| Lotería de Navidad (El Gordo) | SELAE | Special pre-numbered draw | Once a year, 22 December | Spain’s famous Christmas Lottery, with an exceptionally wide spread of prizes |
| El Niño | SELAE | Special pre-numbered draw | Once a year, 6 January | The Epiphany lottery and the second big draw of the holiday season, after El Gordo |
| La Primitiva | SELAE | Number game | Monday, Thursday, Saturday | Classic 6-from-49 lotto with a rolling jackpot and the reintegro |
| BonoLoto | SELAE | Number game | Almost every day | Cheaper, high-frequency version of La Primitiva |
| El Gordo de la Primitiva | SELAE | Number game | Sunday | Weekly jackpot game; not the same as the Christmas El Gordo |
| EuroMillones | SELAE | European number game | Tuesday and Friday | Spain’s version of EuroMillions, including the national El Millón raffle |
| EuroDreams | SELAE | European annuity game | Monday and Thursday | Top prize paid as a long-term monthly income rather than a lump sum |
| Eurojackpot | ONCE | European number game | Tuesday and Friday | Sold in Spain by ONCE, not by SELAE |
| Cupón Diario | ONCE | Daily pre-numbered coupon | Monday to Thursday | The everyday coupon sold by ONCE street vendors and kiosks |
| Cuponazo | ONCE | Weekly coupon | Friday | ONCE’s weekly draw with bigger prizes |
| Sueldazo Fin de Semana | ONCE | Weekend coupon | Weekend | Top prize paid as a regular “salary”, in monthly instalments |
| Rascas ONCE | ONCE | Scratch cards | Any time | Instant-win scratch cards |
SELAE’s official portfolio includes EuroMillions, La Primitiva, BonoLoto, El Gordo de la Primitiva, EuroDreams and Lotería Nacional. ONCE runs its own portfolio, including Cupón Diario, Cuponazo, Sueldazo and Eurojackpot. Always check current draw days and prices with the operator: SELAE · JuegosONCE.
The Four Types of Spanish Lottery
The easiest way to make sense of Spain’s lotteries is to sort them by how you play. Whether you get a pre-printed number or choose your own numbers changes everything: price, odds, how prizes are shared and how you check a ticket.
Pre-Numbered Lottery Tickets
You buy a number, you do not pick one
How El Gordo worksPick-Your-Numbers Lotto
Choose your numbers, chase a rolling jackpot
How La Primitiva worksEuropean Lotteries in Spain
Multi-country draws sold by Spanish operators
- EuroMillones with El Millón
- Eurojackpot via ONCE
- EuroDreams
ONCE Coupons and Scratch Cards
Sold at ONCE kiosks and by ONCE vendors
- Cupón Diario
- Cuponazo
- Sueldazo Fin de Semana
- Rascas (scratch cards)
Two Different Games Called El Gordo
El Gordo Christmas vs. El Gordo de la Primitiva
This is the single most common source of confusion for people new to Spanish lotteries.
El Gordo, or Lotería de Navidad, is the huge Christmas draw on 22 December. Its official name is the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad; “El Gordo”, Spanish for “the fat one”, strictly refers to its first prize.
El Gordo de la Primitiva is a completely separate number game, drawn every Sunday all year round, where you choose your own numbers and the jackpot rolls over.
Before you pay: check the full game name and the draw date. A ticket advertised as “El Gordo” in spring or summer is the weekly number game, not the Christmas Lottery.
Why a Whole Village Can Win El Gordo
For the Christmas Lottery most people buy a décimo: one tenth of a full ticket. Because a décimo is affordable and every number is printed many times over, families, bars, companies, football clubs and entire villages often share the same number.
When that number comes up, there are many winners at once, each paid in full for their own share. It is why the Spanish news on 22 December is full of celebrating towns rather than a single lucky millionaire.
Who Runs the Official Spanish Lotteries?
The operator decides where the official results, rules, claim deadlines and tax treatment are published. If a game is not on one of these lists, it is not an official Spanish state or ONCE lottery.
SELAE
Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado
The state lottery operator. It runs Lotería Nacional, El Gordo Christmas, El Niño, La Primitiva, BonoLoto, El Gordo de la Primitiva, EuroMillones and EuroDreams.
ONCE
Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles
Spain’s national organisation for blind and partially sighted people. Its lottery funds employment and social projects, and it sells Eurojackpot in Spain alongside its own coupons and scratch cards.
Loteries de Catalunya
Regional operator in Catalonia
Catalonia runs its own games, such as La Grossa, separately from SELAE and ONCE. Their rules, prices and prize conditions are set by that operator.
Official Spanish Lotteries: Common Questions
What is the official Spanish lottery?
There is no single one. Spain’s official lotteries are run mainly by SELAE, the state operator, and ONCE. Between them they offer pre-numbered lotteries such as Lotería Nacional and El Gordo, number games such as La Primitiva and BonoLoto, European draws, and ONCE coupons and scratch cards.
What is the most popular Spanish lottery?
The Christmas Lottery, Lotería de Navidad, drawn on 22 December. Its first prize is known as El Gordo, and the draw is a national event in Spain.
Is El Gordo the same as El Gordo de la Primitiva?
No. El Gordo is the yearly Christmas Lottery on 22 December, with pre-printed décimos. El Gordo de la Primitiva is a separate weekly number game drawn on Sundays.
Who sells Eurojackpot in Spain?
ONCE, not SELAE. EuroMillions (EuroMillones) is sold by SELAE, while Eurojackpot is part of the ONCE portfolio.
ElSpanishLottery.com is an independent information site. We do not sell tickets, run draws or pay prizes, and we are not affiliated with SELAE, ONCE or Loteries de Catalunya. Game details are checked against the operators’ published information; the operator’s own announcement always takes precedence. 18+ only. Read our disclaimer and about us.