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| In pictures: Spain holds El Gordo, the world's richest lottery | In pictures: Spain holds El Gordo, the world's richest lottery |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Spanish lottery enthusiasts are at Madrid's Royal Theatre for the draw of El Gordo - the world's richest lottery. | Spanish lottery enthusiasts are at Madrid's Royal Theatre for the draw of El Gordo - the world's richest lottery. |
| Dozens of ticket holders queued through the night outside the opera house, many of whom were dressed in eccentric costumes. | Dozens of ticket holders queued through the night outside the opera house, many of whom were dressed in eccentric costumes. |
| At El Gordo, which means "the fat one" in Spanish, about €2.38bn ($2.64bn; £2.03bn) will be given away. | At El Gordo, which means "the fat one" in Spanish, about €2.38bn ($2.64bn; £2.03bn) will be given away. |
| There are 170 sets of 100,000 tickets, with each full ticket - costing €200 euros - entering players into the draw to win the top prize of €4m. | |
| The most common ticket is €20, which gives buyers the chance to win €400,000. There are also thousands of smaller prizes. | |
| The jackpot structure is designed to allow as many people as possible a win - even a small one - or to at least break even with a free ticket. | The jackpot structure is designed to allow as many people as possible a win - even a small one - or to at least break even with a free ticket. |
| Every year, millions of people in Spain club together with friends and family for the chance to get a slice of the winnings. | Every year, millions of people in Spain club together with friends and family for the chance to get a slice of the winnings. |
| Each ticket can be split 10 ways, with the price of a "decimo" at €20, entitling a winner to 10% of the prize. | Each ticket can be split 10 ways, with the price of a "decimo" at €20, entitling a winner to 10% of the prize. |
| As the draw begins, people gather around their televisions for the more-than-three-hour broadcast to watch as the lucky numbers are pulled out of large golden spheres. | As the draw begins, people gather around their televisions for the more-than-three-hour broadcast to watch as the lucky numbers are pulled out of large golden spheres. |
| When the winning numbers are chosen, they are sung out by school children. | When the winning numbers are chosen, they are sung out by school children. |
| Spain's Christmas lottery tradition has been going for more than 200 years. | Spain's Christmas lottery tradition has been going for more than 200 years. |
| It was first broadcast in 1957 - just one year after Spain got television. | It was first broadcast in 1957 - just one year after Spain got television. |
| Because the rules of the draw are so complex, and players can buy multiple tickets with the same numbers, it is almost impossible to gauge how many people have won. | Because the rules of the draw are so complex, and players can buy multiple tickets with the same numbers, it is almost impossible to gauge how many people have won. |
| As per tradition, the winners go back to where they bought their tickets and pop open bottles of Cava to celebrate. | As per tradition, the winners go back to where they bought their tickets and pop open bottles of Cava to celebrate. |
| Owners and employees of the shop Doña Manolita in Madrid were celebrating on Saturday after selling the winning ticket to the biggest prize in the El Gordo draws. | Owners and employees of the shop Doña Manolita in Madrid were celebrating on Saturday after selling the winning ticket to the biggest prize in the El Gordo draws. |
| All pictures copyright. | All pictures copyright. |