Lotería Nacional is Spain’s traditional five-digit ticket lottery, with regular draws every Thursday and Saturday and larger special draws throughout the year. A standard Thursday décimo costs €3, while a regular Saturday décimo costs €6. The first prize pays €30,000 and €60,000 per décimo respectively. Special and extraordinary draws have different ticket prices and prize structures.
The famous El Gordo Christmas Lottery and El Niño are also part of the Lotería Nacional tradition. They use the same five-digit number system but have their own prize programmes, dates and ticket prices.
Here’s what you need to know about buying a décimo, comparing draws, checking results and calculating the Spanish tax on winnings.
Lotería Nacional at a Glance
All three draw types are organised by SELAE (Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado). Their main differences are the price, prize structure and draw schedule.
| Feature | Thursday | Regular Saturday | Special / extraordinary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per décimo | €3 | €6 | Usually €12, €15 or €20 |
| Regular draw time | 21:00 | 13:00–14:00 | Depends on the event |
| First prize per décimo | €30,000 | €60,000 | Varies by draw |
| Second prize per décimo | €6,000 | €12,000 | Varies by draw |
| First-prize number odds | 1 in 100,000 | 1 in 100,000 | Generally 1 in 100,000 |
| Additional special prize | No | Check individual programme | Available in certain draws |
Times are Spanish peninsular time (CET/CEST). The figures for Thursday and Saturday refer to ordinary draws. Special prizes for a particular fraction and series have different winning probabilities. Always check the published programme for your chosen date.
Official source: SELAE confirms the €3 Thursday, €6 ordinary Saturday and varying special-draw prices in its Lotería Nacional playing instructions.
How Does the Spanish Lotería Nacional Work?
Unlike La Primitiva or BonoLoto, Lotería Nacional does not require you to select several numbers from a pool. Instead, you buy a ticket carrying one five-digit number between 00000 and 99999.
You can choose a specific available number at a lottery retailer or through SELAE’s official online service. If your preferred number has sold out or is not available through that sales channel, you must select another number.
What Is a Décimo?
A décimo is one tenth of a complete lottery ticket, known as a billete. For example, a regular Saturday billete costs €60 and consists of ten €6 décimos.
Prizes are often announced for a complete ticket or series. If the first prize is €600,000 per full ticket, one winning décimo receives one tenth of that amount: €60,000 before tax.
A ticket also carries two identifiers that matter in certain draws:
- Series (serie): The series to which your ticket belongs. The same five-digit number can be issued in several series.
- Fraction (fracción): Identifies a particular décimo within its series.
For most ordinary prizes, the five-digit number is what matters. For a special prize restricted to one fraction and series, all three identifiers must match.
How to Buy a Lotería Nacional Décimo
- Choose your draw. Check whether it is a €3 Thursday, €6 ordinary Saturday or higher-priced special draw.
- Select a number. Choose from the available five-digit numbers or use an automatic selection.
- Confirm the price. A special draw can cost considerably more than a regular Thursday entry.
- Keep your purchase record. Store a paper décimo securely or check the entry in your official online account.
- Check the official results. Match the draw date and your complete number against SELAE’s published prize list.
SELAE sells digital décimos through its own website. These participate under the same draw conditions as physical décimos, although the proof of purchase and prize-payment process are different.
What Can You Win in a Regular Lotería Nacional Draw?
The first and second prizes are not the only ways to win. A ticket may also qualify through number endings, approximations or reintegros, depending on the draw’s published prize programme.
| Prize type | How it works |
|---|---|
| First prize | Your five-digit number matches the first-prize number. |
| Second prize | Your number matches the separately drawn second-prize number. |
| Approximations | Your number is directly before or after a specified winning number. |
| Centenas | Your number belongs to a qualifying hundred-number group. |
| Number endings | Your final two, three or four digits match a qualifying extraction. |
| Reintegro | A qualifying final digit refunds the price of your décimo. |
The exact combination of prize categories depends on the draw. Some drawings include additional prizes not listed here. A winning number may also qualify for more than one award under the official programme.
How Does the Reintegro Work?
The reintegro returns the original price of a qualifying décimo. For a regular Thursday draw, that is €3; for a regular Saturday draw, it is €6.
According to SELAE, the approximate probability of receiving a reintegro in an ordinary Thursday or Saturday draw is 1 in 3.
Receiving your money back is not a profit. It simply means you recover the cost of that décimo.
Extraordinary Lotería Nacional Draws in 2026
Several times during the year, SELAE holds special or extraordinary draws linked to holidays, traditions and national events. These have their own prize programmes, and tickets generally cost more than ordinary Thursday or Saturday décimos.
There is a distinction between special draws (sorteos especiales) and extraordinary draws (sorteos extraordinarios). The two labels are not interchangeable: they can have different prices and prize categories.
Selected Special and Extraordinary Draw Dates
| Draw | Date | Décimo price |
|---|---|---|
| El Niño 2026 | 6 January 2026 | €20 |
| San Valentín | 14 February 2026 | €15 |
| Día del Padre | 21 March 2026 | €15 |
| Día de la Madre | 3 May 2026 | Check draw programme |
| Extraordinario de Vacaciones | 4 July 2026 | €20 |
| Día de la Hispanidad | 12 October 2026 | €15 |
| El Gordo Christmas | 22 December 2026 | €20 |
| El Niño 2027 | 6 January 2027 | €20 |
Selected dates, not a complete calendar. Prices shown are based on published SELAE schedules; check the specific draw programme where no price is stated. Future changes should be checked with SELAE.
For the current calendar, visit the official Lotería Nacional page. SELAE also publishes detailed programmes and draw calendars on its website.
What Is the Premio Especial?
Some draws offer a premio especial: a separate high-value award restricted to a particular décimo.
To win this prize, matching the five-digit number alone is not enough. The winning ticket must also have the specified series and fraction.
For example, the 2026 Día de la Hispanidad extraordinary draw advertised a special prize of €15 million per qualifying décimo. That is not the standard first prize for everyone holding the winning five-digit number.
Check the distinction: A special prize may have substantially longer odds than the ordinary first-prize number. Never assume that the advertised multi-million-euro amount applies to every décimo with the winning number.
What Are the Odds of Winning Lotería Nacional?
There are 100,000 possible five-digit numbers. A décimo therefore has a 1 in 100,000 chance of matching the first-prize number in an ordinary Lotería Nacional draw.
This probability applies to the first-prize number, not automatically to a fraction-and-series-specific special prize or the chance of receiving any smaller prize.
| Prize category | Ordinary Thursday | Ordinary Saturday |
|---|---|---|
| First prize | 1 in 100,000 | 1 in 100,000 |
| Second prize | 1 in 100,000 | 1 in 100,000 |
| Four-digit extraction | Approx. 1 in 2,500 | Approx. 1 in 2,500 |
| Three-digit extraction | Approx. 1 in 143 | Approx. 1 in 100 |
| Two-digit extraction | Approx. 1 in 11 | Approx. 1 in 11 |
| Reintegro | Approx. 1 in 3 | Approx. 1 in 3 |
These are approximate odds for individual prize mechanisms, as published by SELAE. Do not add the probabilities together: categories can overlap, and the table does not represent the overall chance of any prize.
Is Lotería Nacional Easier to Win Than La Primitiva?
Matching the first-prize number in Lotería Nacional is more likely than matching all six main numbers in La Primitiva, which has odds of 1 in 13,983,816 for six correct main numbers.
But the ticket prices and potential winnings differ significantly. A Thursday Lotería Nacional décimo costs €3 and pays €30,000 for the first-prize number. A La Primitiva combination costs €1 and competes for a rolling jackpot.
Neither game is a reliable way to make money. Lower odds of winning a particular prize do not necessarily mean a better financial return.
Compare more games, including EuroMillions and El Gordo de la Primitiva, in our Spanish lottery comparison table.
How to Check Lotería Nacional Results
Official Lotería Nacional results are published by SELAE after each draw. Check the complete results rather than just the first-prize number, because your décimo may qualify for a smaller award.
- Confirm the draw date. Different Thursday, Saturday and extraordinary draws have separate winning numbers.
- Check your five-digit number. Keep leading zeros. For example, 00427 is different from 04270.
- Compare the full prize list. Check the first and second prizes, endings, approximations and reintegros.
- Check series and fraction. These are particularly important when a special prize is offered.
- Confirm the amount. Prize lists may quote amounts per full ticket rather than per décimo.
Use the official SELAE results and ticket checker, or visit our Spanish lottery results page for information about the different games and their draw times.
How Long Do You Have to Claim a Prize?
SELAE prizes generally must be claimed within three months from the day after the relevant draw.
For physical décimos, smaller prizes can usually be collected at authorised lottery retailers. Prizes of €2,000 or more are normally processed through SELAE’s collaborating banks, subject to identification requirements.
If you purchased through SELAE’s official online service, prizes are handled through your registered account and the applicable verification process. Keep your login details and purchase records secure.
Tax on Lotería Nacional Prizes in Spain
Qualifying SELAE lottery prizes are subject to Spain’s special lottery tax. Under the current rules, the first €40,000 of an individual qualifying prize is exempt, and 20% is withheld on the portion exceeding €40,000.
This means the €30,000 first prize on a normal Thursday décimo is generally free of Spanish lottery tax. A €60,000 first prize on a regular Saturday décimo is taxed only on the €20,000 above the exemption.
| Example prize | Spanish tax | Net winnings |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday first prize: €30,000 | €0 | €30,000 |
| Saturday first prize: €60,000 | €4,000 | €56,000 |
| Example special-draw prize: €100,000 | €12,000 | €88,000 |
| Example extraordinary prize: €1,000,000 | €192,000 | €808,000 |
Examples assume one qualifying prize belonging to one winner. Shared tickets must divide the exemption between owners. Non-resident winners may have additional reporting or tax obligations in their country of residence.
Read our Spanish lottery tax information for further calculations. The Spanish tax authority also explains the rules for lottery prizes received by non-residents.
Can You Play Lotería Nacional Online from Abroad?
SELAE offers official digital décimos through its own website, as well as paper tickets through authorised sellers. However, being able to view a website from another country does not mean you are eligible to register, pay or participate from there.
Some third-party websites also advertise Spanish lottery entries. Before using one, establish exactly what you are buying.
- Official ticket service: A provider may purchase or arrange an authentic décimo on your behalf. Check ownership, proof of purchase, fees and prize-claim arrangements.
- Lottery betting: You place a separate bet on the result. You do not own a Lotería Nacional décimo, and the betting provider is responsible for payouts under its own terms.
Check your country’s rules, the provider’s licence or legal status, identity requirements, fees and maximum payouts before paying.
Our homepage explains official ticket purchases versus lottery betting in more detail.
Lotería Nacional Ticket and Online Play Information
€3 Thursday décimos · €6 ordinary Saturday décimos
Learn how tickets work, what proof of ownership to expect and how to check the rules before purchasing online.
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Lotería Nacional FAQ
What is the difference between Lotería Nacional and El Gordo?
El Gordo Christmas is a special annual Lotería Nacional draw held on 22 December. Both use five-digit numbers and décimos, but El Gordo has a different prize programme and a €20 ticket price. Ordinary Lotería Nacional draws take place on Thursdays and Saturdays.
How much does a Lotería Nacional ticket cost?
A regular Thursday décimo costs €3 and a regular Saturday décimo costs €6. Special and extraordinary draws generally cost €12, €15 or €20 per décimo, depending on the event.
What time is Lotería Nacional drawn?
Ordinary Thursday draws take place at around 21:00 Spanish peninsular time. Ordinary Saturday draws take place between 13:00 and 14:00. Extraordinary draws can have different schedules.
What is the chance of winning the first prize?
A standard décimo has a 1 in 100,000 probability of matching the first-prize five-digit number. A separate special prize tied to a specific fraction and series is harder to win.
What is a premio especial?
It is an additional prize awarded in certain special or extraordinary draws. To qualify, a décimo must match the designated five-digit number, fraction and series. The amount and conditions depend on the individual draw.
Can I choose my own Lotería Nacional number?
Yes, if that number is available through your chosen authorised sales channel. SELAE’s official online system also allows you to select digits or request a randomly assigned available number.
Is a €30,000 Thursday first prize tax-free?
Under the current Spanish special lottery tax rules, a qualifying €30,000 prize falls below the €40,000 exemption and is normally paid without Spanish lottery withholding. Rules in a winner’s country of residence may also be relevant.
How do I check whether my décimo has won?
Use the ticket’s draw date and five-digit number on the official SELAE results website. Check the full list for number endings, approximations, reintegros and any applicable special prize. The series and fraction are important for certain awards.
More Spanish lottery questions → · El Gordo Christmas Lottery →
Official Sources and Editorial Information
This page uses the published rules and draw information from Spain’s state lottery operator, SELAE. Prices, schedules and prize structures can change between ordinary, special and extraordinary draws. The official prize programme for your draw always takes precedence.
- SELAE: How Lotería Nacional works, ticket prices and winning odds
- SELAE: Official draws, ticket checking and results
- Spanish Tax Agency: Special lottery tax for non-residents
Content reviewed: 12 October 2026 · ElSpanishLottery.com is an independent information website and is not affiliated with SELAE. For corrections, see our contact page.