How to spot a fake Christmas Lottery ticket before the big draw
Helpful tips to make sure your El Gordo ticket is genuine ahead of 22 December
As excitement builds for the 2025 Christmas Lottery draw, people across Spain are once again picking up their décimos and hoping this will be the year their number is called at the Teatro Real. For many, the anticipation is all part of the tradition, after all El Gordo is a huge moment each December and cannot be missed.With so many tickets being sold, it is also a time when scams tend to appear, so it helps to know what to look for. Government agencies are reminding players to be vigilant against potential fraud and scams, a topic that ties in neatly with previous advice about who can claim winnings and how to avoid problems if you do win.
One of the simplest ways to stay safe is to check the ticket itself. All official Christmas Lottery tickets are printed at the National Mint and Stamp Factory, the same place responsible for printing euro banknotes and coins. That means every décimo should have a very specific feel and finish.
A genuine ticket should show:
- A banknote-like texture, which you can compare with previous tickets or currency.
- A unique barcode and numbering.
- The wording “Authorised by State Lotteries and Betting” and the stamp of the lottery administration that issued it.
- The series, number and fraction, along with the date of the draw.
- The official image for the Christmas Draw on the front. All Christmas Lottery tickets share the same image each year, unlike the weekly National Lottery tickets which change with different themes.
- On the back, an identical summary of prizes and payment details provided by SELAE.
If anything feels off, the safest thing to do is ask for help. Lottery shop staff can check your ticket with an official reader, and SELAE’s territorial branches can also confirm authenticity.
With the December 22 draw fast approaching, a quick look at the paper, print and details can give you peace of mind. It only takes a moment and could save a great deal of disappointment later. Good luck to everyone taking part.
Image: Chatgpt
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